How ODOT clean-ups work in Salem, and what the city council wants to happen next
City of Salem leadership says it can’t do much to address camping under overpasses, bridges and other public areas owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Differing responsibilities mean city crews don’t go pick up trash there, and the Salem police team that connects people with resources and issues trespassing notices typically won’t do so in those places.
Such work is up to ODOT, which is facing increased scrutiny in Salem and across the state…
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Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting a different result without a change being made to the process? How frustrated would you be if you cleaned up a mess at your house, and through no fault of your own someone else came and made another mess in the same exact spot and you had to clean it up again? Seems to me we should be focusing on the root problem of why people return once the area is cleaned rather than scheduling clean up after cleanup after cleanup and still having the same problem.
I drive by the Front St underpass daily, and the amount of garbage with the homeless living there is, for lack of a better word, embarrassing as a Salemite. Why can’t the city or ODOT place a large garbage receptacle there for the homeless to use?
why do they not buy a big piece of property for homeless instead of paying odot to clean keep track of who comes and who goes have garbage dumpsters and bathrooms and all build more pods reminds me of constaion cams with fences around them these are pepole to
So if a criminal were to commit a crime and then run into an ODOT area, it sounds like the police could not pursue the criminal. If a crime is being committed with people camping illegally then how is there a limitation on the jurisdiction of the police? Put up signage that says no camping, and arrest and fine the people that disobey. That’s how it works for everyone except the homeless.
Its been time to get tough on the homeless drug addicts for a long long time yet nothing is done. Open air drug use and sales, garbage, urine, feces, needles and general filth. Lets face it, soft on crime liberal leadership is how we got to this place. Its not a housing crisis its a drug and mental illness epidemic. So until you’re will to vote differently and demand action from feckless state and local government get ready for more of the same.
You are absolutely right!
Compassion is important but enabling is not healthy or helpful. Neither does ignoring the problem help. Rules and laws are for protection. Broken ones do not protect anyone, homeless or not. These people need help but many don’t realize it . Others, if funding from the government, in whatever source , they obtain it, were cut off or at least managed appropriately, maybe, they would begin to realize their need to change. There are a lot of smart intelligent people in office and in the community that could and should come together and come up with a resolution instead of walking on eggshells.
The large majority of homeless are folks who will never be employed regardless of drug addiction and mental health issues. Once you have a criminal record it is never forgiven no matter how long ago it was taken care of thru the courts. Without the ability to secure employment what good does it do trying to move folks into housing? Are they going to live rent free the rest of their lives? Am I missing something that there is an allowance for that? All these millions of dollars being spent are going somewhere but in all these years it most certainly is not housing homeless. It’s more likely gone to some folks housing “upgrades” if you know what I mean…