I recently rode down Commercial Street in Portland headed west to see the Harbor View homeless encampment for myself. I have a couple of observations.

In 2019, the City Council toggled between different locations for a new shelter: one was on Riverside Street, on the outskirts of Portland, and another was a parcel of land on Commercial Street called “Angelo’s Acre.” The city’s leadership was divided; one councilor urged his colleagues not to consider Angelo’s Acre as he was concerned it would have negative impacts on the Harbor View Memorial Park and the marina across the street. The Riverside Street location was decided as the optimal solution for the city.

That decision of an optimal location was soon followed by the tragedy of COVID, followed by an unexpected humanitarian situation with the arrival of a couple thousand people seeking asylum. The new arrivals were jostled between hotels and gymnasiums until the city’s resources ran out, forcing them to fill the beds in the new shelter at the corner of Portland and Westbrook, or join the homeless population.

Meanwhile, the homeless are packing together, as any vulnerable group would, originally on City Hall’s front steps until the city swept them downhill into Deering Oaks. Eventually, they were swept down Marginal Way, then further down Marginal Way. The most recent city sweep of humanity has landed them in Harbor View Memorial Park across from the marina.

It would seem the folks in need of homeless services chose the other location.

Patrick Chandler
Portland

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