Homeless Village Pops Up In Portland; Mayor Displeased

PORTLAND, OR -- Advocates unveiled Monday a "village" for homeless people in Portland, but the mayor is displeased about its location near Columbia River Slough. Calling it the "Village of Hope," advocates created a make-shift village with tents and a kitchen area, KGW8 reported.

In a press conference Monday, Steve Kimes, a local pastor and organizer of the village, said it is needed as homeless people are constantly moved to other areas.

"Over the last year and a half, the city of Portland has hired certain organizations to move folks off the street about every other week," Kimes said. "As they are being forced to move, they find it impossible to access services. They are constantly moving."

Kimes said at least four homeless people passed away because they were unable to access services.

"For us, this is an emergency situation," Kimes said. "What this place is an opportunity. We are going to provide them with an opportunity."

But the mayor released a statement to KGW8 saying the unauthorized village undermines the city's efforts.

“This kind of unilateral action undercuts the efforts of government, nonprofits, and the private sector partners who are aligned on a solution," Mayor Ted Wheeler said. "The outright appropriation of environmentally sensitive public lands, intended for the use of everyone, is unacceptable. Rigid structures should not be constructed on lands the public has invested in heavily to preserve."

The Portland Mercury reported the homeless village "comes as city and county officials dump millions of dollars into creating new homeless shelters around town, and into creating deeply affordable housing."

"Village of Hope also may be the first major protest homeless encampment located on land owned by Portland Parks and Recreation. Its ten tents now sit on a property called the Big Four Corners Natural Area, which contains the slough’s meandering waters, deer, coyotes, river otter, and 175 bird species," the Mercury reported.

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