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   alt.politics.marijuana      They hate government but love a pot-tax      2,468 messages   

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   Message 2,315 of 2,468   
   useapen to All   
   People living on the streets, business o   
   10 Jun 23 07:43:48   
   
   XPost: rec.outdoors.camping, or.politics, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   XPost: talk.politics.guns   
   From: yourdime@outlook.com   
      
   PORTLAND, Ore. — Reactions are mixed for a new daytime camping ban that   
   passed 3-1 by the Portland City Council on Wednesday.   
      
   The new ordinance, which was proposed by Mayor Ted Wheeler, bans camping   
   on city property between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. — requiring that tents and   
   other belongings be dismantled and removed by those daytime hours.   
      
   The ordinance also creates a complete camping ban on parks, within 250   
   feet of schools or childcare centers and along city-designated high crash   
   corridors. It includes sidewalks as well, to keep them clear for   
   pedestrians.   
      
   People living on the streets can be warned to move their tents twice, but   
   on the third violation they can be fined up to $100 or face up to 30 days   
   in jail, or both.   
      
   "I don't want to go to jail, plus there's other reasons I don't want to go   
   to jail,” Lion Ryan, who is homeless, said. “Because it's dangerous in   
   jail."   
      
   City officials said the ordinance will focus on members of the homeless   
   community that refuse services.   
      
   But some people worry the ordinance will greatly affect their lives.   
      
   "I'm not too sure what I'm actually going to do," Ryan said.   
      
   Ryan is one of thousands of homeless Portland residents trying to navigate   
   the new ordinance.   
      
   "My thoughts really is... I'll comply and not live on the streets in a way   
   that they will catch me," Ryan said.   
      
   Commissioner Rene Gonzalez said Wednesday that almost no one will go to   
   jail due to the ordinance.   
      
   That’s led downtown business owners to question if there are "teeth" to   
   the punishment for those who violate the ordinance.   
      
   "That just means there's no teeth,” Bob, a downtown business owner said.   
   “I mean they don't have $100 to pay so they just won't pay it. So, what's   
   there going to be, a bench warrant? It doesn't make any sense, it'll be   
   ineffective, completely ineffective."   
      
   He said sales from his store have dropped 20% in the past year. Bob said   
   that’s due to people being afraid to visit his downtown location.   
      
   "I don't know why it's taken so long for the city to start addressing this   
   problem. It's just been getting worse and worse. We actually have a   
   maintenance person that hangs around here, and he's got two five-gallon   
   buckets full of used needs that he's picked up in the last two years."   
      
   He said the ordinance should be for 24 hours a day instead of 12 hours,   
   which was approved.   
      
   Bob believes there is too much government funding being allocated to   
   resources to help those experiencing homelessness.   
      
   Day shelters like Rose Haven don’t believe there is enough funding.   
      
   "This is going to be really hard for us as a day shelter,” Rose Haven   
   Development Director Liz Starke said. “Which, the city doesn't fund day   
   services currently. And we are already serving 120-150 people a day here."   
      
   Starke expects there to be severe repercussions from the ordinance.   
      
   "Many of the people that we are serving are already experiencing   
   intersecting physical and mental health issues," Starke said.   
      
   Starke said Rose Haven ordered 200 "shelter bags" to give to people living   
   on the streets. The bags can unzip for people to sleep in and have a hood   
   to protect people’s heads. They also have pockets where people can put   
   their belongings.   
      
   The city said it will begin implementing the ordinance in July, in a   
   “phased in approach”.   
      
   Multnomah County officials said they are also looking into the ordinance's   
   impact on county libraries, where many people who are homeless congregate.   
   Officials said it is too early to know the extent of the impact.   
      
   https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/portland-daytime-camping-   
   ban-mixed-reactions/283-fe821b60-ae32-4547-a0a6-fe2bd9ecbc34   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)   

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