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| Outreach and Livability Services and friends, City of Salem, Oregon |
"Lady wanted to know why homeless camps have shifted to Lancaster Drive. "
"Ever year, same thing. Week afore Thanksgivin', it's what 'bout dem homeless, why's d'city jes lettin' 'em multiply under bridges. It's lak nobuddy ever hearda winter er the river raisin.
"I tole her d'poleece er downtown.
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Get me the latest data on homeless per capita by ward, please.
Good question, but I'm afraid that calculation is not available at this time.
Well, get me the city-wide numbers, then. I want the newly homeless year over year, last three years, compared to the total stably housed at least six months, all housing providers, by program, if you please.
Also a good question, but also not available.
What about that regional group the City's supported the last four years? The Homeless Alliance. Doesn't somebody have their numbers?
Good question. No.
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Neighbors are scared, kids walking to school feel unsafe, and businesses are looking to relocate. I feel like Mayor-elect Hoy and I were the only ones raising this issue, but "[t]hey are now aware they have to do more and I'm hoping people will see the difference. It will not go away completely, but they should see a difference [on Lancaster Drive] going forward."
Jose Gonzalez, City Councilor, Ward 5
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“While it’s important to understand that the density of homeless persons on the east side of Salem has grown, few people have stopped to ask why. The only person in the Statesman article that came close to addressing the “why” was the young homeless woman, who noted that “there was nowhere else to go.” Salem, like every western city, has a deep and complex history of redlining race and poverty away from wealthier white populations with high property values. You need look no further than an overlay of current affordable housing projects in Salem for evidence that the practice continues. Some may argue that it’s best to “build within communities,” but mixed income and diverse communities are a HUD best practice. It’s also true that the desire to keep the downtown free of the homeless and plans for future development are pushing the homeless population to the east side of town. Future development plans along Front Street in particular hope to drive the homeless out of Wallace Marine and the downtown to the east side of town, where poverty is concentrated compared to the rest of Salem. There have been hushed, private meetings all summer saying the quiet part out loud: “for Salem to prosper the homeless have to go.” These are all forms of structural racism, which concentrate poverty, reaffirm white privilege, protect and retain social and economic discrimination, and foster inequality.”
Jimmy Jones, Executive Director, Mid-Willamette Community Action Agency
