Sit-Lie Jr. Loses at 2d Forum

By Sarah Owens

 

A "homeless" couple speak against the ordinance at Loucks Forum  

Sit-Lie, Jr. lost at Loucks today.  Out of 28 people offering comments, only four clearly favored enactment, including Tom Hoffert, Director of the Salem Area Chamber, former City Councilor TJ Sullivan,  Huggins Insurance, and Tyler Jackson of Jackson Jewelers.  Comments were limited to three minutes.  Even then, not everyone who wished to comment was able to do so. 

About 80 people attended the forum, including City Manager Steve Powers (far left in photo), Mayor Bennett, Jim Lewis and Chris Hoy (all in the back row at right).  All are believed to favor enactment.

Comments were directed broadly.  The problems of downtown businesses.  The stresses and indignities of living on the streets.  What happens when people experiencing homelessness are made to "move on" and there is no place for them to go.

Retherford and the panel that did not respond to comments

The panel was moderated by Urban Development Director Kristin Retherford and consisted of Salem Housing Authority Administrator Nicole Utz, City Attorney Dan Atchison, and a Salem Police officer.  Comments started at 12:25 following remarks by Retherford, Utz and Atchison.  The panel sat silently during the comment period.

Applause erupted several times, but only in response to comments that were supportive of people experiencing homelessness and/or opposed to criminalizing homelessness.  Several commenters directly challenged the claim that Sit-Lie, Jr. does not "criminalize homelessness." 

TJ Sullivan was actively heckled for implying that people experiencing homelessness are invariably addicts and claiming without evidence that Sit-Lie, Jr. "will push [people experiencing homelessness] into areas where they will get the help they need."  A representative of the local Democratic Socialists of America chapter described Sit-Lie, Jr. as "an unpopular and immoral ordinance."  Lorrie Walker, Salem Homeless Coalition, said she had 200 signatures on a petition opposing Sit-Lie, Jr.

Salem Reporter covered the forum.  A CCTV crew was also there, recording. 

The forum was very emotional and ended at 1:30 without a summing up.  Retherford said a third forum was planned for mid-morning, hopefully before September 30.  At one point, Sit-Lie, Jr. was tentatively on the City Council's September 23 agenda, but now the City is saying it's not known when it will go before Council.    

More about what exactly was said and where things could go from here in a subsequent post.