Elizabeth Freske stands outside her tent on Feb. 1 at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Cindy Perry-Rizzo was putting away her coloring books and tidying up around her tent as she settled in to her new, temporary residence at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion Monday.
She came to the fairgrounds after leaving an encampment under the Market Street overpass under Interstate 5.
“I was under the Market Street bridge, so I had a space, just not an adequate space,” she said.
Now, she’s one of 100 people who will be allowed to camp at the fairgrounds temporarily through a camp run by homeless service provider Church at the Park. It’s the latest effort to address the homelessness crisis in the city as service providers have looked for shelter and camping locations for months.
Last month, Salem’s homelessness liaison Gretchen Bennett presented a plan to unwind camping at Wallace Marine Park and Cascades Gateway Park. The city allowed camping at the two parks at the start of the pandemic to avoid people spreading the virus in cramped quarters.
At 64, Perry-Rizzo said she’s been homeless for three years because of a disability. She pointed to a 14-pound rod in her back to fix her scoliosis.
Perry-Rizzo is on the waitlist for Redwood Crossings, Salem’s first permanent supportive housing project that opened last year.
“You lose hope sometimes,” she said.
A former geriatric nurse, she described having cement bricks thrown at her tent, being harassed and having 14 cell phones stolen while she’s been living on the street.
“I’m used to being outside, but it’s getting dangerous out there for women,” Perry-Rizzo said.
That’s why she chose to stay at the fairgrounds, she said.
DJ Vincent, pastor at Church at the Park and deputy director of the nonprofit Salem Leadership Foundation, said by Monday afternoon 47 people had checked into the fairgrounds to camp.
People were offered tents, sleeping bags and mats to set up in areas gridded throughout the concrete floor.
Elizabeth Freske sat in a chair in front of her tent, pondering what decorations she wanted to put up.
She had been staying in a shelter on State Street after becoming homeless in December when someone set her home on fire.
Through “sheer luck” she said she met friends who told her about shelter options and the fairgrounds camp.
When asked how she felt about the move, she said, “Oddly enough, I guess in a way, content. Perhaps more at ease or peace than I had been. Having that opportunity [to move to the fairgrounds] wasn’t quite as scary as I thought it would be.”
She said staying at the fairgrounds gives her peace of mind, because she’s able to leave her stuff and not worry about carting it around all day.
John Milne said the fairground space offered enough room so he wouldn’t get claustrophobic.
“Having navigated being homeless for four or five years it’s a smooth transition,” he said.
He previously stayed in a shelter run by The ARCHES Project but decided to come to the fairgrounds after it closed down for a couple days, he said.
Previous coverage: With space for 100, temporary homeless camp to open at state fairgrounds
Have a tip? Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected].
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