After briefly pausing their regular process of clearing out homeless camps during the pandemic, the city of Portland has resumed action in removing tent villages. This process has been criticized as being inhumane, with many homeless individuals now being displaced and forced to set up camp elsewhere—presumably only to be displaced once again during the city’s next tent sweep. After years of this cycle, Portland has finally begun to approach an alternative option: the implementation of Safe Rest Villages throughout the city.
Safe Rest Villages (SRVs) are small communities of outdoor shelters that provide privacy as well as access to showers and bathrooms. The city initially announced its plans to set up six SRVs before the end of 2021, however they only ever announced two locations as they have seemingly struggled to find safe and appropriate sites to establish more. Homeless individuals have gone on record (notably in the attached video) in stating that, while the privacy and shelter is valuable, it is no replacement for permanent housing.
The Street Roots article Safe Rest Villages and then what? offers firsthand accounts from homeless individuals who share their thoughts on SRVs, making it clear that it does little to ease their anxieties about the danger that comes from life on the streets. The article also explores how rapidly the cost of living in Portland has increased, to the point where housing has become even more unaffordable and thus the homeless population has continued to rise. As homelessness rises, Portland will continuously be forced to find more solutions to this issue. You can read more about Portland’s homelessness statistics, as well as explore proposed solutions, at http://www.pdxhfs.org.
- Seamus Coyle
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