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Portland Street Response’s future hangs in balance: ‘I feel like it’s about to implode’ (www.oregonlive.com)

submitted 1 year ago by pingveno@lemmy.ml to c/portland@lemmy.ml

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[–] polymerwitch@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

What's happening with PSR is so frustrating. I had a coworker ask me the other day what he should do to get help for an unhoused guy who seemed to be in distress but not need an ambulance. The police weren't really the right answer (the unhoused guy wasn't doing anything), but my coworker wanted someone to go talk to him. PSR was the only answer we could find for him to call.

Regardless of people's positions on funding the police, regardless on their complaints on addressing the symptoms of poverty, I can't understand why anyone would not want a group of people to be on call to help with these types of situations. Let the police tend to other priorities.

PSR is a really popular program in Portland. Most people want it expanded. A single city councilor leading it to failure makes me angry.

[–] pingveno@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

This is why I voted for Jo Ann Hardesty, despite some reports that she insulates herself from contradictory opinions and criticism. She was the real mover and shaker behind Portland Street Response in City Hall. I fear that the program will go nowhere without a forceful, powerful champion, as this article reports on.

[–] ratboy@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Anyone able to get the full article from behind the paywall? I tried like 10 different ways to bypass it and failed

[–] polymerwitch@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

pro tip: add "?outputType=amp" (without the quotes) to the end of any paywalled Oregonian article to get the goods.

[–] ratboy@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Rad thank you! Does this work for other paywalls as well?

Edit: it's not working for this article :/ unless it's actually only 2 paragraphs long and I'm just driving myself crazy lol

[–] polymerwitch@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Weird, it always works for me. Here is an archive someone made of the full article: https://archive.ph/bpXJ9

[–] ratboy@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

you so much! I was trying for hours to read it on mobile as I don't have a laptop and that worked lol.

Okay, so PSR is considered this "shiny object" by the public and garners so much more attention than the police bureau. MAYBE, just MAYBE that's because everyone and their mom knows how vile and corrupt the PPB is.

Also, addressing fucking homelessness, addiction and mental crises is INHERENTLY political, because in large part they are the result of political beliefs and decisions. Reminds me of devils advocate types who argue that if you're emotional about a topic, you can't be rational about it, which is complete bullshit. I hope PSR pulls through. When it comes to addressing homelessness, politicians always half bake their plans and only half heartedly invest in real, proven solutions. So then they aren't effective, and the public gets riled up and pissed off because they don't see immediate results and people loooove to hate the homeless. So then no one ever believes in initiatives like housing first.

According to this article, Karen Bass, who is the new mayor of LA, declared a state of emergency for LA and within six months has moved 14,000 unhoused folks off the streets. It is too early to tell if people will remain housed and that it will be successful, but it seems like she's making very bold moves and I wish Oregon would take a cue. We don't have the same money but we must be able to do more.

In April, she announced that $1.3 billion of her $13 billion proposed budget would go to addressing homelessness, including about $250 million for Inside Safe. Previously, the program had been leasing rooms around the city. Bass’ team has shifted the strategy to purchasing property and is looking to acquire at least eight motels or hotels.

“Community-based organizations have been stretched beyond what they’ve been asked to do,” Bass said. “When a person leaves a tent and goes into a hotel, on day one, they should have services, including a physical exam if they’re open to it, and meeting with a social worker.”

Bass said her executive directive to cut red tape had streamlined the processing of more than 8,000 units of new housing in 456 projects that are in the development pipeline. She said approvals are now being obtained in 37 days as opposed to six months.

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