Posted: Thursday, July 31, 2008 12:00 am
Lasting solution remains goal of city, county
BY MICHAEL BOOTH
GAZETTE-TIMES REPORTER
For a time in May, a group of homeless men thought they might have found a haven from the long, cold spring on the staircase and stairwells around the First Christian Church at 602 S.W. Madison Ave., across the street from Central Park. However, when residents in the area began to complain of everything from broken glass to foul language and lewd behavior, suddenly the focus was back on a perennial problem:
How can the city of Corvallis effectively and compassionately address its homeless issue?
In a column published June 11 in the Gazette-Times, John Evans made it clear how not to deal with it - Make it the church's problem alone: "There is no homeless camp at First Christian Church … we want the city to take more responsible steps in dealing with Corvallis' homeless population."
Although it is a diverse population that ranges from people who are permanent guests on the couches of friends to women and children living in their car, the most visible draw the focus, said Corvallis Police Capt. Dan Hendrickson. Those have been homeless men who have alcohol and drug abuse issues.
After a meeting with the city attorney and the Corvallis Parks and Recreation acting director on July 3, Hendrickson revived an existing City Council policy on the rules of conduct in city parks. The policy enables police to issue trespass notices for time periods from one week to one year. If the violator returns within the specified time period, they can be arrested for trespassing and the temporary ban may be extended.
Hendrickson said approximately 15 one-week notices have been issued but no one has received the maximum ban.
Benton County Commissioner Jay Dixon said he understands the police response to the community's concerns, but he wonders if the policy may clutter the criminal justice system.
The problem is, for people who have no incentive or perhaps are unable to pursue an alternative, being issued court documents amounts to little more than a pointless paper chase.
"Some people will typically not show up for court, then a warrant will be issued (for their arrest)," Dixon said. He thinks simply focusing on enforcement ignores the larger picture.
"There is no one type of homeless person. They need services if they're addicted to alcohol and drugs … It's not a problem quickly solved, but one we'll need to address."
Although Corvallis has facilities for people who do not have alcohol or drug issues, or whose addiction is under control, homeless people still living with an addiction have few places to turn.
For example, Community Outreach Executive Director Richard Donovan said he also receives complaints from the public about transients milling about parks, but Community Outreach does not serve people who still are using drugs or alcohol. However, the number of homeless people whose lack of shelter is related to medical, domestic or economic reversals is growing.
"We have seen a good size increase in emergency stays here," Donovan said. "It has been a continuous thing for at least three years."
A census of the homeless population, which was conducted by local social-service providers in January, came up with 160 homeless men, women and children in Benton County. But the count only included those who were seeking services.
"Nobody's out on the street counting, and nobody knows how many people are couch-surfing," Donovan said, referring to the practice of being a permanent guest with no home.
The Community Services Consortium plans to tally the number of homeless people living on the street sometime next year. And Corvallis is the only city left in Oregon with significant funds to service the homeless and mentally ill with public money.
Donovan said that Community Outreach receives approximately 30 percent of its funding from public entities and Samaritan Health Services. The rest of its budget comes from grants and private donations.
"While I know there is some frustration, Corvallis actually has a jump on everybody else," Donovan said. Corvallis is planning for a 10-year plan to end homelessness, under the direction of Community Services Consortium, in Corvallis and Albany.
If successful, the plan may offer more services for the homeless, mentally ill and those with substance abuse issues. Until then, the police and the jail system by be regularly called upon to deal with these issues.
"This is the most compassionate community I've ever lived in," Donovan, a five-year Corvallis resident said. "Yet, people also have a right to take their kids to a park … The community wants to help, but some types of behavior are intolerable."
Hendrickson has proposed further definition of city ordinances so officers can let ticketed people know exactly how long they must stay away from the park when the citation is issued. The proposal has not yet been considered by the City Council.
"Officers could then give out a piece of paper that shows the length of time they are banned for a particular offense," Hendrickson said. "They can be immediately removed from the area, specifically city parks, where people should be safe and free from having to (witness certain acts)."