City to Market Sit-Lie at Community Forum

By Sarah Owens and Michael Livingston

August 21 September 4 community forum to feature Sit-Lie Jr?
(providers refuse to participate)

The City has invited homeless housing and service providers to participate in a community forum at Loucks Auditorium on the evening of August 21.  [Rescheduled to 9/4/19]

Its goal:  "to provide information to the community on services, projects, initiatives, and experiences."

Its structure:  a panel answering a moderator's questions (no pesky audience questions, thank you.)

And right in the middle of that panel, you guessed it, will be a City rep to tell us all about how Sit-Lie Jr. is going to "keep sidewalks and public spaces clean and welcoming to all" and "provide more options for police officers to connect the homeless with the help they need."  (See 8/2/19 press release, "Salem responds to growing concerns of activities in public right of way, including sidewalks and parking strips.")  It does not, repeat not criminalize homelessness.  

It was the 2017 version that criminalized homelessness.  Councilor Hoy said so.  This version is different.  It has a new name.  "An Ordinance Relating to Conduct on Sidewalks."  Hoy has said  he supports it (he opposed the 2017 bill).  So has Councilor Kaser (ditto).   

Trouble is, the two versions are virtually identical.  See "Sit-Lie, Sit-Lie Jr. 'Very Similar'."

Whether or not the forum takes place depends on whether enough providers are willing to participate;  make the forum look like something other than what it is:  "outreach" in support of Sit-Lie Jr.  

That's why the City's invited providers who can be counted on to know who butters their bread.  Speaking of which, the Salem Main Street Association's been invited to participate, and share "information on what they hear from downtown businesses and property owners."  Readers may recall that, in 2017, downtown businesses and property owners were afraid to come out publicly in favor of the ordinance.  See "Council Kills Sit-Lie after Public Hearing."  But since when has "information" on what someone's heard been considered reliable?  Uuuuhhmmm, no.

The City will likely share more about its plans for the community forum at the August meeting of what's now being referred to as the Good Neighbor Partnership, which is set for 5:30 next Wednesday evening, August 14, at the Urban Development Department office.  The agenda has not yet been shared, but we will post it here when and if it is.  For more about the Good Neighbor Partnership, see "Son of Sit-Lie to Return" and the posts linked therein.

8/13/19 Update:  per the agenda (below) the community forum has been rescheduled to 9/4/19 and might be a two-part panel instead of a Sit-Lie Jr. sandwich.  Sounds like providers don't much care for the City's cooking.

And anyway, United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley, preempted the City with a forum of its own for downtown businesses and staff, called "Humanizing Homelessness: a care-focused workshop" at which participants will learn about de-escalation techniques, how and when to support someone who's experiencing homelessness, and what resources are available. 

Ever unwilling to take the hint, the City's now saying they expect to take Sit-Lie, Jr. to City Council on 9/23/19.  

Agenda for August 14, 2019 Meeting

8/16/19 Update:  based on what was said at the meeting on the 14th, there's probably not going to be a forum on September 4, either.  If there is, Sit-Lie Jr. will be alone on stage.  Providers at the meeting were concerned that participation in the work group and in the proposed forum would amount to a "tacit endorsement" of the proposed ordinance.  They therefore didn't want to discuss it at the meeting or  participate in the forum if Sit-Lie Jr. was going to be on the program.  More details in a subsequent blog post.