A homeless woman walks in front of a city of Salem public works vehicle during an eviction of a camp under the Marion Street Bridge in January. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) The city of Salem calculates that it spends about $5 million a year responding to homeless issues, according to a[Read More…]

Robert Stone, originally of Cheyenne, Wyo., sits outside near a coffee shop in downtown Salem. The homeless Salem resident said he would “probably” be impacted by a proposed ban on sitting or lying down on public rights of way. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) For the first time, Salem City Council will[Read More…]

Robert Stone, originally of Cheyenne, Wyo., sits outside near a coffee shop in downtown Salem. The homeless Salem resident said he would “probably” be impacted by a proposed ban on sitting or lying down on public rights of way. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) Nothing is set in stone yet, though it[Read More…]

A rendering of Union Gospel Mission of Salem’s new men’s mission. The organization will break ground Nov. 1. (Courtesy/Union Gospel Mission of Salem) Now’s the time to build, according to Dan Clem, executive director of Union Gospel Mission of Salem. The Christian-based homeless services provider will break ground Nov. 1[Read More…]

Ken Houghton, left, and a volunteer walk toward a homeless encampment under the Marion Street Bridge in January to do outreach before police clear it out. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) Salem groups are considering launching a new service that brings mental health aid right to the curb, sidewalk and street. Driving[Read More…]

The proposed site of Sequoia Crossings, a 76-unit apartment for chronically homeless people, at 3120 Broadway St. N.E. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) A new kind of housing project for chronically homeless residents in Salem could be in the works if a state grant comes through. Sequoia Crossings would be a 76-unit[Read More…]

Ken Houghton, homeless outreach coordinator for ARCHES, serves coffee to Joe Lopez on Sept. 4, 2019 in downtown Salem. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) “Joe! You want some coffee?” Ken Houghton spoke to a carefully constructed cardboard fort covering a bench on the corner of Commercial Street and Court Street in downtown[Read More…]

A proposal to make it illegal for people to sit or lie on Salem sidewalks during the day won’t go before Salem City Council on Monday. City officials said Thursday that the proposal, which aims to curtail a purported rise in disturbances caused by homeless people, was postponed at the[Read More…]

Ken Houghton, outreach coordinator for the ARCHES Project, shows a prospective volunteer around a new mobile shower unit at a July 17, 2019 training. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Free showers will soon be available to homeless people in the greater Salem area after more than a year of effort by a[Read More…]

Cody Freshour stands outside his firm, Ivalor LLC. Freshour rents 10 units to people who would be homeless without the city of Salem-backed program. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) When it comes to renting homes to the homeless, Cody Freshour says the perception is worse than reality. Freshour is one of 21[Read More…]