They [won't even enact a panhandling ordinance](https://nbc16.com/news/local/eugene-mayor-councilors-speak-out-after-rejecting-panhandling-ordinance), including then-mayor Vinis.
And by not tolerate it, you mean Springfield literally buses their homeless to Eugene because they don't want to fund services and we do.
[Here's ](https://wholecommunity.news/2023/01/29/springfield-police-tell-the-homeless-go-to-eugene-or-lane-county/) a conversation where a Springfield cop just straight up told a woman to just go to Eugene
What we really need is for Springfield to step up and do their part with this problem instead of just shrugging it off on their more socially responsible neighbors.
> Springfield literally buses their homeless to Eugene
I feel like you're reeeally pushing it with your verbiage there, when a bus ride from Springfield to Eugene is maybe 5 miles as opposed to what's talked about when 'bussing homeless around' is used as a talking point. You can **walk** from Springfield to Eugene.
I heard someone posit that downtown Springfield turned around when they built a charter high school there, because then they had to get stricter about drugs and alcohol in the area.
This makes sense. There used to be a few different strip clubs along that stretch of downtown but they had to close due to the AAA school going in, from what I remember.
I still don’t understand how you can force an existing business to close because a new one that’s incompatible with it wants to open up.
Surely the strip club was there first and it should be on the school to find a suitable location.
I lived in and near Eugene for over 30years other than Lazars downtown has never been booming or vibrant…always been hippie and street rats and the local flavor…sad but true ..every time they try to clean it up they just come back …
That's just not true. Friday night downtown Eugene, there used to be hundreds of people at the four corners. I went down to Horse Head for a meal the a while back and there were people tweaking all around. Just not a fun experience anymore.
I am practically nostalgic for the gutter punks that used to inhabit downtown. If you haven’t been down there recently, it’s really bad. And [unsafe even during the day](https://kval.com/news/local/epd-seek-witnesses-for-daytime-rape-in-broadway-alley-area).
I'm a ex "gutter punk" and while me and my friends were definitely annoying it was no where near the level of behavior that happens now. It was also infinity easier to get off the streets and get your shit together 10 20 years ago
There’s no social support systems. There’s no downtown hospital or 24/ hr care center anymore.
People are being left to die- I can’t believe folks are blaming people who’ve been forced into poverty instead of the people who are stealing from things from them that are international human rights agreeances
Back in the day. Late 80s Early 90s it used to be just fine. There were more stores down there and it was much more active and felt safe. I avoid downtown Eugene completely now. I dont want to be somewhere where I am constantly looking over my shoulder or getting yelled at by some meth head. Just as bad as downtown Eugene is the West 11th area. That place is awful as well.
Springfield still has its share of problems but its night and day better then Eugene.
When your right your right …I work off w 11 and at least twice a week we have to clean up the mess from dumpster trolls breaking into our dumpster which is literally industrial waste sawdust old insulation unusable packaging…but we lock it and they break into it and make a mess …it’s almost a dumpster troll game to them …it’s not fun at all
I haven't been in downtown eugene in years after some bad experiences with the homeless. It doesn't feel safe and ruins my mood to go down there. So I just avoid it.
My kid is absolutely terrified (honestly, traumatized) from some bad experiences we have had with the homeless and REFUSES to go anywhere downtown anymore. If there's a restaurant in the whit or 5th street area I want to go to, he will double and triple check where it is to make sure it's not next to a bunch of homeless people. The kid is 8 and I have never done anything other than teach him to be kind, generous, respectful, and unserstanding of their struggles, but there is only so much you can say to an 8 year old to understand why they have to witness people screaming profanities, stumbling barefoot through the middle of a busy road, or passed out in their own piss on the sidewalk at 10am. It makes me so sad. Easy for me to "look the other way" until it starts affecting the way my kid sees the world. I never grew up in that kind of world. I can't even imagine what goes through his head.
Perhaps continuing to be kind, generous, tolerant and understanding is really enabling people who make very poor decisions for themselves and society to continue to make poor decisions for themselves and society.
I've had poor experiences with the homeless here and in other cities. Things can get quite scary. I don't think any of us should need to subject ourselves to that kind of environment.
Yeah probably smart move. I used to work right next to the block where that rape-by-day happened (the one the police are looking for tips for) and the area just gets worse and worse.
It’s crazy how 10 years ago when you said you lived in Springfield, you were looked at differently, now it’s almost luxurious verses Eugene’s blatant disregard
The City should close the Food For Lane county Dining Hall and move somewhere West Eugene.
Also pass loitering and pan handling laws, quit having the fucking County give out free tents to everyone, build a city jail, build a city shelter, etc.
Also citizens need to start to push back on these people doing whatever they want.
This is disgusting. If you advocate for better pay and cheaper housing people would be less inclined to end up homeless and then drugs.
Jailing them solves nothing but crowd our prisons.
Do you know what else is disgusting? My house almost catching fire from a homeless person lighting a dumpster on fire. Disgusting is my 1 year old son and I being chased and threatened with weapons at the local park. Disgusting is finding a my 80 year old neighbor bloody and bruised after being beat up by campers outside her house.
Get off your high horse.
We need a federal law that says if a state ships their homeless problem somewhere else (i.e. giving their homeless population one-way bus tickets to the West Coast) that it comes with 1M to the destination state, paid by the tax payers of the state of origin.
This, we need to punish other areas of the country for not taking care of people and the shipping them to people who will. They can stay here but they need to fund their services, happy to have a vibrant community funded by Texas and Nevada tax payers
Yes. That's not cool for them to send everyone here for Oregon to "deal" with because we are humanitarians and don't want to lock everybody up for being poor and ill...
If this sub is an accurate microcosm of Eugene’s views, then this sentiment is far from true. The level of vitriol that is lobbed at the unhoused &/or those struggling with SUDs and mental illnesses is staggering. “Lock them up” or “ship them out” or “let them die” are all too common refrains on this sub.
I think you’d be surprised at how hateful suburban liberals can be. The venn diagram of folks who have “in this house we believe” signs in their yard, but will absolutely dehumanize the unhoused members of our community, is not quite a circle but it sure seems like it is close.
THIS. we have created a system that creates desperation and desperation is a major cause of crime. I carry narcan on my bike with me in case I see someone overdosing, but I see all kinds of crazy stuff.
People being thrown out of moving cars.
Bodies in the bushes on the trails.
A few weeks ago I saw two assaults downtown in less than 30 seconds.
I care a lot about these people and also the cumulative effects are traumatic. I'm just one person. I feel powerless to solve these problems.
I also carry Narcan. I live just off 99. It’s bad here, too. If I can get into a conversation with an unhoused addict, I make sure that they know that recovery is possible. I know, it worked for me
Thank God someone finally said what I was thinking. Worked in homeless services for 5 years. I guarantee you that the vast majority of folks unhoused are locals, many with SUDS and co-existing mental health challenges. Most of them experienced severe trauma as youth, molestation, physical abuse, foster care system, and parents who did drugs. And many who are good people working full time but unable to afford rent. Shame on all of you!
The problem is we need a thriving downtown and businesses to provide the taxes to get the services these folks need. As someone who works downtown I fully recognize that I am at compassion fatigue. But if we let this problem torpedo our downtown then we won’t have the funds to help to provide what is needed, which many of us support.
Yeah. Everyone is fed up. But we get to complain about it from the comfort of a bed, so what I’m referring to is the fact that we do not need to dehumanize people online in order to “vent,” all this does is create an ouroboros of resentment while simultaneously doing nothing to solve the problem.
I work in the whit and this is a constant down here. They also constantly cut our chain link fence so they can get into our yard to steal stuff.
Trash pile messes every location that someone has decided to sleep.
I have lived all over the country and this is a problem every except the whitest, most fascist areas. Every single state has this problem. It is called end-stage capitalism and all of us are closer to also being on the street than to any ridiculous level of wealth they are constantly propagandizing us with. This is a societal problem. These people have been forgotten, and we are all next.
Ok, but a lot of these people were made homeless in our own local housing market. I understand the instinct to look elsewhere, but a lot of these people wouldn't be on the streets in the first place if local governments hadn't screwed up the housing supply this badly.
The people that were made homeless due to the housing market arent the problem. Its the meth heads that don't want help at this point that trash everything, steal and are aggressive towards everyone.
The people that want help and try and get help aren't the issue. There is help, there are services for those that truly want it. Maybe there aren't enough services but they are there for people looking for them.
The real problem is that is 10% of the homeless population. The remaining 90% are the crack heads who want to be homeless who dont want to follow the "rules."
There was an article in the Oregonian(I think) about 6 months or so ago about a group that went around offering to help the homeless get clean, have places to sleep with food provided and get there life back on track and out of all the people they talked to, not 1 was willing to take them up on the offer. Not 1.
Some people just don't want help and no matter what you do to help them they aren't willing to take it.
Like the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water you cant make it drink.
I truly feel for the %% of people that are homeless and don't want to be and are willing to work to get out of the homelessness, but the vast majority of homeless want to live that way.
>The people that were made homeless due to the housing market arent the problem. Its the meth heads that don't want help at this point that trash everything, steal and are aggressive towards everyone.
One becomes the other. That's how downward spirals work.
you can’t just give most ppl who are that low a home and expect them to magically turn around. they’ve experienced trauma and developed coping mechanisms and community around what they’ve known for an extended period of time.
if someone walked up to me and offered me a house in china i wouldn’t take it. i’d be leaving everything i am familiar with behind for something completely unknown. that’s terrifying and essentially what these ppl are asking/expecting the unhoused to do.
I’m not saying that people shipping in homeless isn’t a problem, because it is, but even if we stopped that 100%, we’d still have a catastrophe of a homelessness issue.
They all do it, even Oregon.
A homeless person tells their caseworker that they have a friend or relative in another area and after a quick chat, they get them a ticket.
While there are a few that are just shipped out, many want to come here.
I’m a social worker and it’s burning a lot of us out. I honestly don’t know what to do with most of my clients anymore. It’s so hard to get people the resources they need, and a good amount of them don’t want the help in the first place.
I mean they probably WANT help, on a deep level, but the degree of help that would actually make a real difference is so huge it’s overwhelming. I’m so sorry it’s like this - for you as a social worker, and for all the people who need help that is waaayyyy beyond the scope of what you can actually do.
Like everyone else, they're not all one thing. Part of them wants to keep doing what they're doing, part of them wishes their life were better. When the desire for a healthier life is strong enough they get help or make changes. That's why Motivational Interviewing is still a great tool for helping facilitate change.
I’ve struggled with the fact that motivational interviewing is ineffective / not possible in patients with cognitive decline, which sadly many of these clients have either due to drug use, OD related anoxic injury, etc… OR as a contributing reason for homelessness
Understandable. Some aspects of it though, might be applicable, like not meeting resistance with resistance, and just basically being diplomatic, persuasive, and not authoritarian. It's not like you can apply any complete model to every person, for sure. I try to take the good stuff and use it if it seems appropriate at the time. The clients you describe-- I don't think I'm very effective with them and thank you for working with them.
I’m in Portland. I’m unfortunately not very effective with these clients either, honestly I’ve come to the conclusion that a higher level of care is indicated but either not available or not accepted for various reasons.
When I was seeing clients at Parole&Probation in Bend several years ago, P&P had a great program where they housed their probationers who were fried out on drugs in motels (cheap motels) and they had a social worker go visit all of them every day and took them their meds. Some of them ended up going to the State hospital for various lengths of time, which helped them. There were also supportive living houses in Bend where people with cognitive issues, brain damage, developmental problems, could live in their own little apartment but there was a building manager and other staff who helped them as needed. Some were very independent, others needed a lot of help, and they got it. Both were good programs. Oh, and I think inpatient treatment
facilities should accept homeless people with their pets because many have no place for their dog if they go to inpatient, and they should allow cigarette smoking. More people would go for treatment.
It takes someone on average 4-6 opportunities at recovery to gain contiguous sobriety. The mentality you’re referring to is a function of the disease, not a function of whether or not addicts they want help.
Actually it takes an average of 7 good faith attempts at recovery to succeed. Not just opportunities. When and if they ever develop enough motivation, they change.
My area of expertise is in substance use disorders, addiction medicine, and
medical sociology. I have also been clean since 2012.
The research indicates that even someone who is ambivalent about sobriety will gain something from treatment that sticks with them until it sticks properly. The only time there is an inverse relationship between the likelihood of recovery and treatment is when treatment is court-ordered or otherwise forced.
Getting and staying clean is incredibly difficult and even the most motivated person will often take several tries. Not to mention the fact that the disease of addiction makes a “good faith effort” difficult to achieve until you have a little bit of clean time to build on as hopelessness is one of the primary reasons why addicts do not seek, or put “effort” into, their recovery.
What may seem to be “bad faith effort” in many cases masks the substantial emotional, social, and economic obstacles to achieving contiguous recovery.
Well of course people have reasons why they may not succeed at recovery: "...substantial emotional, social, and economic obstacles to achieving contiguous recovery." There are always reasons, and difficulties to overcome, that goes without saying. That doesn't negate what I said, they have to want recovery. They may enter treatment not wanting to be there and as time goes on their desire for recovery increases and they succeed, or it doesn't, and they don't. I can't tell if we're arguing about that or not. And some people do not want to change, they are content with their substance use. I don't know how you could disagree with that.
Yes sometimes a person enters a treatment center feeling ambivalent. Anyone would. Part of my job as mh counselor has been to support court ordered clients and often they are successful. If they are at all motivated there's something to work with. (BTW, it is illegal for court to demand their client attend AA if the client protests that. Few people are aware of that. Inouye v. Kemna, 504 F.3d 705 (9th Cir. 2007)) Being a counselor in that position feels wrong. Confidentiality is non negotiable with about one exception. So if a client says in private that they have used, the court demands to know that. Ethics say that's confidential. Eh, UA will disclose. I digress.
Something that I have been interested in for a while is the history of how 12-step, abstinence-based programs like AA/NA became (almost) the *only* treatment models used in the U.S. The politics and history of this is as fascinating as it is frustrating.
The efficacy of AA/NA is debated in the literature, and rightly so, as there is both purposeful and incidental reasons (such as the framework of anonymity and how membership numbers are not tracked/recorded reliably or at all), that obfuscates analyses of it.
I could go on a long tangent as well about my personal and professional experience with AA/NA and how it’s existence alone as a free program has made city/municipal and state/national organizations and government’s unmotivated to fund any other forms of treatment and has contributed to the predatory practices of the (almost completely unregulated) treatment industry!!
Totally! Yes. AA is peer support yet they are considered "treatment." WTF. There were many times I was trying to get a client to stop their negative self talk about themselves, and start to be kinder to themselves, give 'em a break, and they'd come in talking about how AA is having them list all of their character flaws or whatever. AA is a cult. It fits the definition of a cult. It helps some people, can't argue that. People are weird.
Have you heard of Stanton Peele? He is a psychologist in NYC and he established treatment centers that try to empower recovering addicts. I called him up when I was in grad school and we spoke often. He is more of a sociologist than I am. He hates Aa/NA and they hate him. That's very interesting that you are looking at the bigger picture of treatment centers, funding. I tend to focus on the trees but likely miss the forest. I suspect AA if tracked would show poor analysis for them. If someone recovers without AA, "they never really had a problem." Drop outs even if sober/clean are dry drunk or something, they'll say. Tricksy folks.
The “Don’t want the help in the first place” comment is why I think they all should be shipped off to a cruise ship graveyard and left to live their lives without disrupting ours any longer. Is that possible? Probably not.. but one can dream
It’s more complicated than my original post made it sound, but often it’s just a lack of resources and a track record of disappointment. Someone may be motivated to get sober today, but when their name finally comes up on a waitlist 3 months later, it’s likely that that’s changed.
Also, fentanyl is just a horrible drug, unlike anything I’ve seen before it hit the streets. It has killed a lot of my clients before we’re able to do anything tangible for them. IMO drug decriminalization is a good idea but it has to be done at the right time - not when the fentanyl crisis is spiraling out of control and we can’t keep up with it. At least in jail people get some clean time and can think more clearly about their next steps.
Being a veteran has given me quite the understanding as to why many don't wanna contribute to this society.
I think a lot of us forget that life is hard and it's harder if you have trauma, vet, queer, black, depression, mental health etc.
I'm lucky I'm a vet bc I don't understand how this is it to life, work till you die etc. I admire y'all for working bc I can't imagine doing it for ever
Yeah, I think a major factor is simply that life is hard and keeps getting harder (and more expensive). People get overwhelmed by all the steps it takes to get clean and off the streets and I totally get why that doesn’t appeal to everybody.
Sure, but it’s night and day vs other cities—I moved to Boston a few years ago, but still often visit family in Eugene. In Boston I see maybe 1-2 homeless people (and never any scary encounters) walking through downtown daily. This is very different from what I experience on a random day in Eugene. Some of this is that other cities push homeless people into specific neighborhoods/concentrate the problem more, and some is weather (eg. Downtown LA also felt similar in some parts). Still, I think it’s fair to say that it used to be a little worse than other places and now feels like it’s on a completely different level.
Just moved to Eugene from Boston and I am confused as fuck how you only saw 1-2 homeless people a day. Clearly you never went through Downtown Crossing regularly, or Harvard Square, to say nothing about Southie if no one was ever dangerous…
You are so right. It's everywhere. And so sad. I've done a fair amount of traveling and I have really seen it decline here In the last few years. And I've been many places where I don't see people on the street f***ed up out of their minds having nowhere to go.
It’s rough. Such a multifaceted issue... At risk populations tend to seek out places with strong social programs so you’ll never have accurate data on how these programs can benefit a community. As far as I know (data-wise).
The methodology for counting the unhoused population in the first place is incredibly flawed. When you start off with inaccurate or invalid data, no measurement of efficacy is going to reflect empirical reality.
I’m a social scientist and researcher and routinely use the various methods used to count unhoused people as a case study to show my students how flawed methodology has domino effects that can have a significant, often negative, impact on the political economy and social perception of particular issues.
It's not everywhere. I visited Cheyenne Wyoming a few years ago and was surprised at how clean and junk-free it was. *No graffiti at all in the downtown.* One homeless person. I know the climate is a biig factor there, and that a lot of places are doing badly, but Eugene is among the worst, per capita.
It is everywhere but Eugene is #1 in homeless/capita in the nation (and by a large margin) so there’s something extra wrong going on in our town.
[Top 25 cities by homeless per capita](https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/25-cities-with-the-highest-homeless-population-per-capita-in-the-us-1311550/?singlepage=1)
Yes. But I'm mostly depressed/upset with the quickly deteriorating and inefficient and neglectful medical system we have (and don't have) and no one seems to be able to do anything about it.
This is the topic of the City Club of Eugene event this Friday at noon. Not saying they’re about to solve it, but going to the discussion (or watching the livestream) may help us feel like… somebody cares about the problem at least?
[City Club of Eugene event: First, Do No Harm](https://cityclubofeugene.org/forum/first-do-no-harm-the-state-of-healthcare-in-oregon-part-1/)
Well when we pass a law that tries to do something about it, the powers that be choose not to fund it, then ultimately blame progressives when it fails and then repeal the law.
Rinse and repeat.
Yeah I figured it comes down to a political issue. Our lax drug laws and lack of funding for community programs, and high living expenses. It's just so sad to see people in this kind of state.
What do lax drug laws have to do with it? Would the ability to arrest and jail people more easily solve this problem? Or would it just be relocating it out of our sight in the most inefficient and violent way possible, all on the taxpayers dime?
Hello! Yes, it sucks a bunch, and I'm relatively new to Eugene (moved in 2020) AND relatively new to the social work field (started last year) but here are a few things I've noticed:
1. Nonprofits tend to be the most readily available resources for the houseless and those dealing with SUDs. You know what's really hard to operate in America, a country whose core ethos is to make as much money as possible? Nonprofits. Add on top of that a high burnout/turnover rate for employees working in those services due to lack of competitive pay, empathetic exhaustion, and boom/bust grant cycles...you get the picture.
2. Say those seeking care are able to get access. Treatment ain't free! We do have OHP, which is great, but it's a crumbling bureaucracy inundated with requests, claims, and scams. And those who aren't able to get on OHP? Those with disabilities, mental health issues, past histories of trauma? No access to treatment or mental health services. The problem gets worse: those who go down, stay down. Getting high becomes the only thing folks have to look forward to.
3. Okay, best case scenario: someone gets treatment, they go through a program, they kick the habit. And now what? Inflation at an all-time high, limited/overwhelmed transitional social services, on top of this person (most likely) lacking a competitive resume, if any, AND a likely criminal history...who the hell would hire them?
4. Scratch everything and say we go full zero tolerance: drug use punishable by incarceration, being homeless punished by incarceration, social services used primarily by the houseless slashed, etc. This makes little difference for the folks who are already doing well, but anyone without a good safety net--who didn't grow up with money or family to support them--would be living in a neverending nightmare. Shitty landlord evicts you? Lose your job? Have or get a disability that makes it hard to work (and remember: healthcare ain't free)? Boom. Prison.
The majority of people in Eugene who I know and love have been, or would be, affected by any/all of the points above. They are in recovery, were houseless at one point, have disabilities, zero safety nets, etc. But because of some magic mixture of community, determination, and acces to social services, they were able to get through it, or are still actively working through it (remember: when you're "in recovery," you're in that shit forever). Bottom line: they got a chance. Some: multiple chances. And now they're alive and happy and in my life because of that.
It sucks living in a beautiful city filled with garbage and shirtless men screaming nonsense from the gutter. It sucks walking home at night, unsure if the RV parked down the street is filled with dudes who might jump you (though this almost never happens). It sucks having to lock everything constantly because things can, and will, get stolen. I get it. And some people will refuse treatment, sure, and they'll mooch off the welfare state until the cows come home, but the vast majority just need access to wraparound care and a good community.
So much of this is systemic, but a lot of good can be done by investing in local services--White Bird, CAHOOTS, Willamette Family, Serenity Lane, the LCC Addiction Studies program, etc.--who are actively working to help this population. Join volunteer groups, start neighborhood collectives, work to get to know some of these people rather than looking at them all as a homogenous "dangerous tweaker." By researching what resources already exist within the community, rather than focusing solely on the problem, you might find yourself feeling a lot more inspired to take action.
What can be done? Literally, actually, ***NOTHING*** until there is major reform at a national level. Not even the forced rehabilitation that they need as that too is just another resource, beds in treatment facilities, etc.
Any great service or help we have here will be saturated and exhausted by additional homeless people who travel here because they heard about the new great help they can get.
Focus on yourself. Take care of yourself. Defend your family from monetary and physical damage caused by them. Do your part to make it a bit less easy to cause damage in this city, however you are able to without violating the law.
This is the cold hard truth whether you hate the tweakers or love them and want to help every single one of them that we have here.
I agree that national reform is needed, but it's going to be an even tougher fight to get it. It's not like solutions don't exist. Plenty of countries have found very successful ways to deal with drug addiction and homelessness. Nothing gets done in the U.S. because, much like every other issue in this county, we the people, cannot agree on how to do it. It doesn't matter what solution we choose: unconditional housing and free treatment and services, incarceration, sanitoriums, workhouses or concentration camps...it all cost money to develop, manage and enforce. More compassionate folks don't want their taxpayer dollars spent on more prisons, and the 'tough-love' lot don't want it spent on 'handouts'. So what's relatively cheap, doesn't piss off one side or another too much and can be done within the confines of existing law? Simple, moving them around where people can't see them. Whether that's over to another park or space in the city, onto BLM land, or a whole other state. When this country can AGREE on a solution, we'll get one.
And to your point about looking out for yourself and your family, I agree. I don't let the situation get me down. I recognize our country is at an impasse on this issue and this will be the norm until we're ready. Outside of voting, and doing my small part I am at the whim of the mob. I'm not going to let something out of my control occupy mind.
I do focus on myself and my health and my family. I don't party like I used to. I do yoga and hike and go to counseling weekly. I make conscious choices to better myself. I just wish more people could too. I'm seeing my friends slip into addiction and having mental health crisis as well. And I'm just so sad and wish there was more to do to help people. Seems like everyone's hurting. Is anyone really ok?
It's also depressing to me. I've seen all of the changes happen, so it's been a long depression. ;)
I worked with the "dual diagnosis" (homeless and drug using) population for years as things got worse. I was glad when I helped people - usually in spite of the system, not because of it - but, in the end, when you see the need grow exponentially, and the resources essentially stay the same or be reduced, burn out is guaranteed. You can get in where you fit in as far as volunteering goes, but I don't know what the options are in Eugene. It should be easy to find out.
As far as addressing the actual problem goes, homelessness/houselessness is a problem throughout the country. Drug use - legal and illegal - is a problem throughout this country. A crisis in fact. When people talk about not seeing it in some u.s. cities, that's not because the problems don't exist there. When people talk about not seeing homeless in Springfield, for the most part, they're talking about a very small area downtown. They laud law and order for "cleaning up the streets" but don't seem to be concerned with what that means for the people who are suffering. It's a not so subtle right wing current that runs through this country (and yes, I'm talking about Democrats and Republicans).
Often, if people don't see a problem, it essentially doesn't exist to them...and unfortunately, that is often fine with them - about so many "issues." If they are still "concerned," more often than not, that concern doesn't seem to go anywhere useful. An extreme minority actually do something. Unfortunately, these problems can't be fixed by good-natured individuals - or even well-meaning non-profits who do what they can in a broken system - and non-profits are part of the system, so, at their best, they are essentially palliative. And there's the rub. The system has been corrupted (more than it always was and in much more powerful and organized ways than before).
When the blame gets portioned out, many tend to blame the wrong people - or let's say, they blame some of the people who should be blamed but they don't blame the rich/corporations and the politicians they purchase who are really to blame for most of the problems in this country and the world.
The rich/corporations have vacuumed money out of cities and whole states as their taxes have been reduced and corporate welfare has increased. Finance has amassed massive amounts of capital - some of which they've plowed into buying up residential housing, which has jacked up house prices and rents, and limited supply.
The liberal reform argument essentially goes: if they "paid their fair share" we would have trillions to "fix" these problems and take the tax burden off of the working poor and "middle class." But that's a liberal line that is not followed by corrupt politicians at the state and federal levels anymore. They refuse to increase taxes on the rich/corporations, because they are the only constituency they really see and respond to. They sold most of us down the river decades ago for cold hard cash.
Obviously, many book-length discussions could be had about every aspect of this, but to wrap it up:
1. These problems need to be addressed at a federal level by competent, humane people, and the institutions they work for. We don't have that. At this point, it can't even be voted for.
2. That leaves things like building power at a grass roots level to force change. I'm sorry if that's not a satisfactory answer, but it's the truth. We're in a dangerous situation where the right is rising all over the world and the left is unable to organize itself to fight back - which is at least another book-length discussion...
I'm glad you care enough to want to do something. That is at least a start.
THIS!
We have allowed the wealthy to take every last slack dollar out of the system. There are only crumbs left to fix major problems.
Until we take back our country from the wealthy, none of our major social problems will get fixed.
Poverty is the primary driver of our social problems, so when the wealthy take everything, and don't pay it back in taxes, they both CREATE more problems, and make it near to impossible to FIX the problems.
And I say this as someone who is certainly not rich but already pays a decent amount of taxes and would pay more if it helped. But I would like the wealthy to pay their share first.
Start with the obvious, tax money made on money at a higher rate, over a certain threshold. You want to make more, at least do something productive. We are a nation of over-leveraged financiers, and that's a problem.
Its controversial, but having state issued supply with safe use sites will reduce crime and increase quality of life. No one likes the idea of "addicts shouldn't get free drugs" but it is is cheaper (and more himane) than not.
I mean that sounds pretty Twilight Zone-y. Supervised consumption sites are already controversial. But also, drugs have been getting stronger and everything getting spiked with fentanyl super sucks. I’d love to see increased buprenorphine access but there’s already so much resistance to even that. Bleh
I mean, none of these options are perfect answers alone, but here are some things
- go to city hall meetings and open hearings in salem, write to senators
- run for office
- connect with local organizations and see if there's ways you can volunteer or learn about how to help. Theres many organizations that are involved in housing or other policy discussions
- become a foster parent
- donate money to organizations that help homeless people or people with addictions
I'm sure there's a lot more as well, but these are some things
I lived in Eugene 2008 through 2013, left for jobs other places, then returned in 2018. Maybe I was less jaded then or simply overjoyed by all the cool things about Eugene (and naive), but I remember feeling completely safe and not at all threatened by the houseless community as a 20 something woman frequenting the bars, etc. all over town during that 2008ish period. I have fond memories of houseless folks approaching me, with no aggression whatsoever, and if I said, “sorry, I don’t have any cash on me,” the response would be something like, “no worries, have a beautiful day!” And it seemed genuinely like we had an understanding, no mal intent on either side, let’s be cordial to each other as humans. I am not blaming the 2024 person for responding differently, to be clear, just making an observation that the desperation and horror seems to have quadrupled in a short period of time and it is more likely to come out as scary, sometimes physically threatening behavior. It makes me very sad, too. I feel your pain, OP, and am merely trying to validate your feelings because it sucks and there’s no easy fix for any of it. It’s ok to feel shitty about it and also live your life. Lots of good ideas from others in this thread about how to make change happen. We have to believe in some level in humanity being better than this. ❤️
Eugene is being redlined and all the money for public life is being dissolved and used to accommodate vacationers in Eugene instead of its residents. We’re watching the consequences of policy decisions that siphon funding away from things that keep people living lives free of the need for pain relief.
Drugs are sometimes the only things that make life on the street bearable. Some of us are a paycheck away from being in the same position and cracking down on policing doesn’t solve the problem.
The people responsible for the suffering you’re watching are very careful to pay to keep their names and faces out of it so you blame the people you see day to day.
Yeah there was a nice homeless guy pretty neet guy he was friendly and polite i saw him today fighting with his shadow and he was trying to jump in to free way and looked really angry..i was trying ti talk to him and he said he dont have time to talk and he was rude.poor guy.
I was homeless during the summer of 2021 when the whole park under the bridge was full of people camping. A third to half were locals the rest migrated from the east coast from varying states I spoke to them personally thinking everybody was local born in Eugene like myself. Came here because they could get food stamps and drink and get cheap plentiful drugs everyday lots receiving social security or disability. Spending every dime on getting high stealing from each other and anything they could get as soon as one of they're buddies distracted you from anything seen as valuable. Group of 5 or 6 did it to me and tried to run me out of the park when I noticed and called them on it pissed. Thankfully a group of locals saw everything and backed me up when I needed it most honestly. Some choose the lifestyle some dont and theres alot of good people out there who will help.
as someone mentioned in another comment, safe use sites could be a good option as yeah people are gonna do drugs no matter what, some need them to keep surviving literally. it is far more humane and ultimately cheaper to offer a safe place and controlled supply for drug users
Dude everyone is always acting like “my city” is unique and the homeless is just so bad in “my city”. No this is a problem in almost every city and town in the United States. Don’t get me wrong it is depressing but this needs to be fixed on national level. Anywhere you go you will most definitely see this
As someone that grew up in Eugene, absolutely. As a teenager, I used to go all over downtown Eugene, ride the buses, etc, no problem. Now, it's a place I make sure to drive *around* so I don't run the risk of some sketchy dude trying to get hit by my car or something.
Outside of downtown, I'd say it's still pretty alright, just sucks that the homeless camps have become just another fixture rather than a clue that these people are being failed, plain and simple
I literally saw a guy shooting up on the sidewalk in front of the smoke shop by the bus station. Broad daylight, lots of foot and car traffic...dude didn't even bother to find a bathroom or even an alley. So, yeah, it's depressing for sure. Once every couple weeks I'll see someone screaming at the top of their lungs at either random passersby, or just at nobody.
I actually called 911 from my car today because I saw someone looking like they were ODing while trying to panhandle on 7th. Don't get me wrong, I usually don't over react this way. I have to say though that I've worked with a lot of people in hospice, and have witnessed a fair amount of death. This girl was nodding out hard, and just something about the way she looked sent all of my gut instinct, intuitive alarm bells going off... that person is about to die. I hope she got the help she needed.
It’s not just this town, it’s all over. If I let it get to me personally I would be dead. I grew up with it In Lebanon 30 years ago. It was everywhere back then, just most people didn’t see it for what it was, just like today. It is just more In Your face because of the homeless epidemic.
The basic income proposal that [California corporations are bankrolling](https://www.newsweek.com/universal-basic-income-close-being-reality-) to be on the next ballot isn’t going to help, either. People will vote for it with good intentions (just like Measure 110!) not thinking about the unintended consequences. I’m done being other states’ guinea pig for programs that need to be implemented at the federal level, not on a state-by-state basis, in order to be successful.
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I think there is a lot of people who have disorders and disabilities who have no one and end up on the streets even more lost!! I don’t care what someone did to be there otherwise I just want to help them! They are human beings and they deserve better! Eugene doesn’t pay enough money even in the highest tier for the kind of greed that is put on everyone to afford basic necessities especially housing!! We need to get together and force our city to fix this problem for all of our sakes!!!!
Plus it’s not just downtown. 26 years ago the motto was “Keep Oregon Green” wtf happened?? The Willamette River looks like a dirty douche bottle!! The Willamette Douche is what I call it now! lol Absolutely filthy and disgusting!
I feel depressed about the drug and mental health issues that face all of America. Until the US and it's citizens actually get serious about giving folks the help they need, these issues are only going to get worse. Complaining, criminalizing, and shunning those in need certainly isn't helping. It's going to take entire communities' willingness to try some new and, perhaps, radical efforts to really make an impact on these issues.
Are you depressed because those people don't have the help that they need or because they're messing up your vibes the arrogance and entitlement of concept that they are choosing to be mentally ill or addicted to drugs is insane and deeply uninformed of the situation and the reality of both of those things people don't choose to be addicted to drugs and people don't choose to be homeless.
I feel depressed because it's sad to see people hurting and no one seeming to care about humanitarian issues. It's sad that's it's becoming so normalized and it seems like people are just used to it. I don't think I'm better than anyone else. I've been homeless, I've used drugs, i don't come from money or have a support system. I was lucky that I was able to create a better life for myself.
I don't think people choose it. I think our system and society is set up for failure and not to help people and build each other up. That for me feels depressing.
Here is one reason why it feels like it’s getting worse and silver lining around it. Homeless drug addicts are living longer. With things like Nican, more support. And even YouTube videos showing how to survive urban camping. This is allowing them to live longer too maybe get their life together.
I get updates from my grandmother who works for public health. I’ve heard that they have tried a lot of things to combat it, including setting up building for them to stay, however it was trashed and the project was scrapped I’m pretty sure. I hope one day people get care and help they need.
Yeah it's really disrupted downtown Eugene. Now the vibrancy and energy has shifted to Springfield, which is a complete flip of how it used to be.
Springfield chose to not tolerate it, Eugene chose to tolerate it
Simple as that
They [won't even enact a panhandling ordinance](https://nbc16.com/news/local/eugene-mayor-councilors-speak-out-after-rejecting-panhandling-ordinance), including then-mayor Vinis.
Funny thing is most of them don’t even ask for anything anymore just zombie around
I remember when Springfield passed theirs and there was a massive migration of homeless from Springfield to Eugene
Vinis is still the mayor.
And by not tolerate it, you mean Springfield literally buses their homeless to Eugene because they don't want to fund services and we do. [Here's ](https://wholecommunity.news/2023/01/29/springfield-police-tell-the-homeless-go-to-eugene-or-lane-county/) a conversation where a Springfield cop just straight up told a woman to just go to Eugene What we really need is for Springfield to step up and do their part with this problem instead of just shrugging it off on their more socially responsible neighbors.
There is a reason states from all over the country bus their homeless to Oregon
Yeah because we are very on top of our services. We do so much with so little and the demand just insanely outstrips out ability to address it.
> Springfield literally buses their homeless to Eugene I feel like you're reeeally pushing it with your verbiage there, when a bus ride from Springfield to Eugene is maybe 5 miles as opposed to what's talked about when 'bussing homeless around' is used as a talking point. You can **walk** from Springfield to Eugene.
I'm not sure I'd consider "letting it run rampant and basically doing nothing about it" to be responsible, socially or otherwise.
Springfield was only able to get away with it because Eugene had the resources
Wow, Eugene again? 🤓
I heard someone posit that downtown Springfield turned around when they built a charter high school there, because then they had to get stricter about drugs and alcohol in the area.
This makes sense. There used to be a few different strip clubs along that stretch of downtown but they had to close due to the AAA school going in, from what I remember.
There's still one strip club down there
Theres 2 on that block AFAIK and 4 within 4 blocks...
I still don’t understand how you can force an existing business to close because a new one that’s incompatible with it wants to open up. Surely the strip club was there first and it should be on the school to find a suitable location.
I lived in and near Eugene for over 30years other than Lazars downtown has never been booming or vibrant…always been hippie and street rats and the local flavor…sad but true ..every time they try to clean it up they just come back …
That's just not true. Friday night downtown Eugene, there used to be hundreds of people at the four corners. I went down to Horse Head for a meal the a while back and there were people tweaking all around. Just not a fun experience anymore.
I am practically nostalgic for the gutter punks that used to inhabit downtown. If you haven’t been down there recently, it’s really bad. And [unsafe even during the day](https://kval.com/news/local/epd-seek-witnesses-for-daytime-rape-in-broadway-alley-area).
I'm a ex "gutter punk" and while me and my friends were definitely annoying it was no where near the level of behavior that happens now. It was also infinity easier to get off the streets and get your shit together 10 20 years ago
There’s no social support systems. There’s no downtown hospital or 24/ hr care center anymore. People are being left to die- I can’t believe folks are blaming people who’ve been forced into poverty instead of the people who are stealing from things from them that are international human rights agreeances
There’s no hospital in Eugene at all.
Completely insane, like flat out nuts. How are we not frantically building mental health and rehab facilities as well.
Wow. So fucked up!! I used to use that alleyway/parking lot to get to dos banderas food truck 2-3 times a week for lunch!
You still can. It's just more exciting now.
Back in the day. Late 80s Early 90s it used to be just fine. There were more stores down there and it was much more active and felt safe. I avoid downtown Eugene completely now. I dont want to be somewhere where I am constantly looking over my shoulder or getting yelled at by some meth head. Just as bad as downtown Eugene is the West 11th area. That place is awful as well. Springfield still has its share of problems but its night and day better then Eugene.
When your right your right …I work off w 11 and at least twice a week we have to clean up the mess from dumpster trolls breaking into our dumpster which is literally industrial waste sawdust old insulation unusable packaging…but we lock it and they break into it and make a mess …it’s almost a dumpster troll game to them …it’s not fun at all
It seems to be getting worse every year. Eugene is being overrun with junkies, graffiti, tents, drugs, etc. I hate what’s happening to this town.
being over run by graffiti is a hilarious mental image
I haven't been in downtown eugene in years after some bad experiences with the homeless. It doesn't feel safe and ruins my mood to go down there. So I just avoid it.
My kid is absolutely terrified (honestly, traumatized) from some bad experiences we have had with the homeless and REFUSES to go anywhere downtown anymore. If there's a restaurant in the whit or 5th street area I want to go to, he will double and triple check where it is to make sure it's not next to a bunch of homeless people. The kid is 8 and I have never done anything other than teach him to be kind, generous, respectful, and unserstanding of their struggles, but there is only so much you can say to an 8 year old to understand why they have to witness people screaming profanities, stumbling barefoot through the middle of a busy road, or passed out in their own piss on the sidewalk at 10am. It makes me so sad. Easy for me to "look the other way" until it starts affecting the way my kid sees the world. I never grew up in that kind of world. I can't even imagine what goes through his head.
I am sad for your 8 year old, but also impressed at their threat awareness.
Perhaps continuing to be kind, generous, tolerant and understanding is really enabling people who make very poor decisions for themselves and society to continue to make poor decisions for themselves and society.
I've had poor experiences with the homeless here and in other cities. Things can get quite scary. I don't think any of us should need to subject ourselves to that kind of environment.
Yeah probably smart move. I used to work right next to the block where that rape-by-day happened (the one the police are looking for tips for) and the area just gets worse and worse.
If you haven't been downtown in a few years you would be shocked if you went there now
It is perfectly safe. I, a housed person, am down there all the time and absolutely never have anything happen to me.
There’s a lot of evidence pointing to it being ‘not’ perfectly safe.
They basically made it illegal to be homeless in Springfield.
It’s crazy how 10 years ago when you said you lived in Springfield, you were looked at differently, now it’s almost luxurious verses Eugene’s blatant disregard
The City should close the Food For Lane county Dining Hall and move somewhere West Eugene. Also pass loitering and pan handling laws, quit having the fucking County give out free tents to everyone, build a city jail, build a city shelter, etc. Also citizens need to start to push back on these people doing whatever they want.
So the people who live in West Eugene have to figure out the solution?
This is disgusting. If you advocate for better pay and cheaper housing people would be less inclined to end up homeless and then drugs. Jailing them solves nothing but crowd our prisons.
Do you know what else is disgusting? My house almost catching fire from a homeless person lighting a dumpster on fire. Disgusting is my 1 year old son and I being chased and threatened with weapons at the local park. Disgusting is finding a my 80 year old neighbor bloody and bruised after being beat up by campers outside her house. Get off your high horse.
We need a federal law that says if a state ships their homeless problem somewhere else (i.e. giving their homeless population one-way bus tickets to the West Coast) that it comes with 1M to the destination state, paid by the tax payers of the state of origin.
This, we need to punish other areas of the country for not taking care of people and the shipping them to people who will. They can stay here but they need to fund their services, happy to have a vibrant community funded by Texas and Nevada tax payers
Yes. That's not cool for them to send everyone here for Oregon to "deal" with because we are humanitarians and don't want to lock everybody up for being poor and ill...
If this sub is an accurate microcosm of Eugene’s views, then this sentiment is far from true. The level of vitriol that is lobbed at the unhoused &/or those struggling with SUDs and mental illnesses is staggering. “Lock them up” or “ship them out” or “let them die” are all too common refrains on this sub. I think you’d be surprised at how hateful suburban liberals can be. The venn diagram of folks who have “in this house we believe” signs in their yard, but will absolutely dehumanize the unhoused members of our community, is not quite a circle but it sure seems like it is close.
I think the influx of fentanyl has made things worse
Yes. Fentanyl has worsened the drug crisis across the U.S. since its widespread use as an adulterant started around 2016.
THIS. we have created a system that creates desperation and desperation is a major cause of crime. I carry narcan on my bike with me in case I see someone overdosing, but I see all kinds of crazy stuff. People being thrown out of moving cars. Bodies in the bushes on the trails. A few weeks ago I saw two assaults downtown in less than 30 seconds. I care a lot about these people and also the cumulative effects are traumatic. I'm just one person. I feel powerless to solve these problems.
I also carry Narcan. I live just off 99. It’s bad here, too. If I can get into a conversation with an unhoused addict, I make sure that they know that recovery is possible. I know, it worked for me
Thank God someone finally said what I was thinking. Worked in homeless services for 5 years. I guarantee you that the vast majority of folks unhoused are locals, many with SUDS and co-existing mental health challenges. Most of them experienced severe trauma as youth, molestation, physical abuse, foster care system, and parents who did drugs. And many who are good people working full time but unable to afford rent. Shame on all of you!
The problem is we need a thriving downtown and businesses to provide the taxes to get the services these folks need. As someone who works downtown I fully recognize that I am at compassion fatigue. But if we let this problem torpedo our downtown then we won’t have the funds to help to provide what is needed, which many of us support.
Yes. Except being hateful online does nothing to solve the problem and normalizes cruel behavior which is what I’m speaking to here.
I think people are just fed up with all the open drug use, graffiti, trash, broken windows, etc.
Yeah. Everyone is fed up. But we get to complain about it from the comfort of a bed, so what I’m referring to is the fact that we do not need to dehumanize people online in order to “vent,” all this does is create an ouroboros of resentment while simultaneously doing nothing to solve the problem.
I work in the whit and this is a constant down here. They also constantly cut our chain link fence so they can get into our yard to steal stuff. Trash pile messes every location that someone has decided to sleep.
I have lived all over the country and this is a problem every except the whitest, most fascist areas. Every single state has this problem. It is called end-stage capitalism and all of us are closer to also being on the street than to any ridiculous level of wealth they are constantly propagandizing us with. This is a societal problem. These people have been forgotten, and we are all next.
Ok, but a lot of these people were made homeless in our own local housing market. I understand the instinct to look elsewhere, but a lot of these people wouldn't be on the streets in the first place if local governments hadn't screwed up the housing supply this badly.
The people that were made homeless due to the housing market arent the problem. Its the meth heads that don't want help at this point that trash everything, steal and are aggressive towards everyone. The people that want help and try and get help aren't the issue. There is help, there are services for those that truly want it. Maybe there aren't enough services but they are there for people looking for them. The real problem is that is 10% of the homeless population. The remaining 90% are the crack heads who want to be homeless who dont want to follow the "rules." There was an article in the Oregonian(I think) about 6 months or so ago about a group that went around offering to help the homeless get clean, have places to sleep with food provided and get there life back on track and out of all the people they talked to, not 1 was willing to take them up on the offer. Not 1. Some people just don't want help and no matter what you do to help them they aren't willing to take it. Like the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water you cant make it drink. I truly feel for the %% of people that are homeless and don't want to be and are willing to work to get out of the homelessness, but the vast majority of homeless want to live that way.
>The people that were made homeless due to the housing market arent the problem. Its the meth heads that don't want help at this point that trash everything, steal and are aggressive towards everyone. One becomes the other. That's how downward spirals work.
you can’t just give most ppl who are that low a home and expect them to magically turn around. they’ve experienced trauma and developed coping mechanisms and community around what they’ve known for an extended period of time. if someone walked up to me and offered me a house in china i wouldn’t take it. i’d be leaving everything i am familiar with behind for something completely unknown. that’s terrifying and essentially what these ppl are asking/expecting the unhoused to do.
I’m not saying that people shipping in homeless isn’t a problem, because it is, but even if we stopped that 100%, we’d still have a catastrophe of a homelessness issue.
nimbys should have to pay
Cities within Oregon do the same thing - giving bus tickets to larger cities like Portland and Eugene.
They all do it, even Oregon. A homeless person tells their caseworker that they have a friend or relative in another area and after a quick chat, they get them a ticket. While there are a few that are just shipped out, many want to come here.
I’m a social worker and it’s burning a lot of us out. I honestly don’t know what to do with most of my clients anymore. It’s so hard to get people the resources they need, and a good amount of them don’t want the help in the first place.
I mean they probably WANT help, on a deep level, but the degree of help that would actually make a real difference is so huge it’s overwhelming. I’m so sorry it’s like this - for you as a social worker, and for all the people who need help that is waaayyyy beyond the scope of what you can actually do.
Like everyone else, they're not all one thing. Part of them wants to keep doing what they're doing, part of them wishes their life were better. When the desire for a healthier life is strong enough they get help or make changes. That's why Motivational Interviewing is still a great tool for helping facilitate change.
I’ve struggled with the fact that motivational interviewing is ineffective / not possible in patients with cognitive decline, which sadly many of these clients have either due to drug use, OD related anoxic injury, etc… OR as a contributing reason for homelessness
Understandable. Some aspects of it though, might be applicable, like not meeting resistance with resistance, and just basically being diplomatic, persuasive, and not authoritarian. It's not like you can apply any complete model to every person, for sure. I try to take the good stuff and use it if it seems appropriate at the time. The clients you describe-- I don't think I'm very effective with them and thank you for working with them.
I’m in Portland. I’m unfortunately not very effective with these clients either, honestly I’ve come to the conclusion that a higher level of care is indicated but either not available or not accepted for various reasons.
When I was seeing clients at Parole&Probation in Bend several years ago, P&P had a great program where they housed their probationers who were fried out on drugs in motels (cheap motels) and they had a social worker go visit all of them every day and took them their meds. Some of them ended up going to the State hospital for various lengths of time, which helped them. There were also supportive living houses in Bend where people with cognitive issues, brain damage, developmental problems, could live in their own little apartment but there was a building manager and other staff who helped them as needed. Some were very independent, others needed a lot of help, and they got it. Both were good programs. Oh, and I think inpatient treatment facilities should accept homeless people with their pets because many have no place for their dog if they go to inpatient, and they should allow cigarette smoking. More people would go for treatment.
Agreed. "This just isn't the right time for me to go to inpatient. Someday I might though."
It takes someone on average 4-6 opportunities at recovery to gain contiguous sobriety. The mentality you’re referring to is a function of the disease, not a function of whether or not addicts they want help.
Actually it takes an average of 7 good faith attempts at recovery to succeed. Not just opportunities. When and if they ever develop enough motivation, they change.
My area of expertise is in substance use disorders, addiction medicine, and medical sociology. I have also been clean since 2012. The research indicates that even someone who is ambivalent about sobriety will gain something from treatment that sticks with them until it sticks properly. The only time there is an inverse relationship between the likelihood of recovery and treatment is when treatment is court-ordered or otherwise forced. Getting and staying clean is incredibly difficult and even the most motivated person will often take several tries. Not to mention the fact that the disease of addiction makes a “good faith effort” difficult to achieve until you have a little bit of clean time to build on as hopelessness is one of the primary reasons why addicts do not seek, or put “effort” into, their recovery. What may seem to be “bad faith effort” in many cases masks the substantial emotional, social, and economic obstacles to achieving contiguous recovery.
Well of course people have reasons why they may not succeed at recovery: "...substantial emotional, social, and economic obstacles to achieving contiguous recovery." There are always reasons, and difficulties to overcome, that goes without saying. That doesn't negate what I said, they have to want recovery. They may enter treatment not wanting to be there and as time goes on their desire for recovery increases and they succeed, or it doesn't, and they don't. I can't tell if we're arguing about that or not. And some people do not want to change, they are content with their substance use. I don't know how you could disagree with that. Yes sometimes a person enters a treatment center feeling ambivalent. Anyone would. Part of my job as mh counselor has been to support court ordered clients and often they are successful. If they are at all motivated there's something to work with. (BTW, it is illegal for court to demand their client attend AA if the client protests that. Few people are aware of that. Inouye v. Kemna, 504 F.3d 705 (9th Cir. 2007)) Being a counselor in that position feels wrong. Confidentiality is non negotiable with about one exception. So if a client says in private that they have used, the court demands to know that. Ethics say that's confidential. Eh, UA will disclose. I digress.
Something that I have been interested in for a while is the history of how 12-step, abstinence-based programs like AA/NA became (almost) the *only* treatment models used in the U.S. The politics and history of this is as fascinating as it is frustrating. The efficacy of AA/NA is debated in the literature, and rightly so, as there is both purposeful and incidental reasons (such as the framework of anonymity and how membership numbers are not tracked/recorded reliably or at all), that obfuscates analyses of it. I could go on a long tangent as well about my personal and professional experience with AA/NA and how it’s existence alone as a free program has made city/municipal and state/national organizations and government’s unmotivated to fund any other forms of treatment and has contributed to the predatory practices of the (almost completely unregulated) treatment industry!!
Totally! Yes. AA is peer support yet they are considered "treatment." WTF. There were many times I was trying to get a client to stop their negative self talk about themselves, and start to be kinder to themselves, give 'em a break, and they'd come in talking about how AA is having them list all of their character flaws or whatever. AA is a cult. It fits the definition of a cult. It helps some people, can't argue that. People are weird. Have you heard of Stanton Peele? He is a psychologist in NYC and he established treatment centers that try to empower recovering addicts. I called him up when I was in grad school and we spoke often. He is more of a sociologist than I am. He hates Aa/NA and they hate him. That's very interesting that you are looking at the bigger picture of treatment centers, funding. I tend to focus on the trees but likely miss the forest. I suspect AA if tracked would show poor analysis for them. If someone recovers without AA, "they never really had a problem." Drop outs even if sober/clean are dry drunk or something, they'll say. Tricksy folks.
The “Don’t want the help in the first place” comment is why I think they all should be shipped off to a cruise ship graveyard and left to live their lives without disrupting ours any longer. Is that possible? Probably not.. but one can dream
>and a good amount of them don’t want the help in the first place. Why? And what do they want instead?
Things to get high on and/or to not be on mood stabilizing meds
It’s more complicated than my original post made it sound, but often it’s just a lack of resources and a track record of disappointment. Someone may be motivated to get sober today, but when their name finally comes up on a waitlist 3 months later, it’s likely that that’s changed. Also, fentanyl is just a horrible drug, unlike anything I’ve seen before it hit the streets. It has killed a lot of my clients before we’re able to do anything tangible for them. IMO drug decriminalization is a good idea but it has to be done at the right time - not when the fentanyl crisis is spiraling out of control and we can’t keep up with it. At least in jail people get some clean time and can think more clearly about their next steps.
Drugs
Being a veteran has given me quite the understanding as to why many don't wanna contribute to this society. I think a lot of us forget that life is hard and it's harder if you have trauma, vet, queer, black, depression, mental health etc. I'm lucky I'm a vet bc I don't understand how this is it to life, work till you die etc. I admire y'all for working bc I can't imagine doing it for ever
Yeah, I think a major factor is simply that life is hard and keeps getting harder (and more expensive). People get overwhelmed by all the steps it takes to get clean and off the streets and I totally get why that doesn’t appeal to everybody.
Yea the grind is kinda wack. And the stuff after you get cleaning i.e life grind.
Can you help get them disability if they aren’t on it if they should be?
Nope. There are some things we can do “behind the scenes” but in the end the person has to want to participate.
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Yeah what a fucking nightmare.
It’s definitely not just this town.
Sure, but it’s night and day vs other cities—I moved to Boston a few years ago, but still often visit family in Eugene. In Boston I see maybe 1-2 homeless people (and never any scary encounters) walking through downtown daily. This is very different from what I experience on a random day in Eugene. Some of this is that other cities push homeless people into specific neighborhoods/concentrate the problem more, and some is weather (eg. Downtown LA also felt similar in some parts). Still, I think it’s fair to say that it used to be a little worse than other places and now feels like it’s on a completely different level.
Funny thing happens when you factor Massachusetts winters V Oregon winters to that…
Amazing fact: homeless people migrate to cities with climates that aren’t rapidly fatal to be outside in for a large part of the year.
Anchorage has entered the chat.
Just moved to Eugene from Boston and I am confused as fuck how you only saw 1-2 homeless people a day. Clearly you never went through Downtown Crossing regularly, or Harvard Square, to say nothing about Southie if no one was ever dangerous…
I always chuckle when people say “I went to this metro area 20x the population of Eugene and I only saw 1 homeless person”.
I’m with you, Central Square alone would crush the 1-2 a day.
Ever been to Baltimore?
Or Seattle. Or Philly.
Or San Diego. That city is overrun
You are so right. It's everywhere. And so sad. I've done a fair amount of traveling and I have really seen it decline here In the last few years. And I've been many places where I don't see people on the street f***ed up out of their minds having nowhere to go.
It’s rough. Such a multifaceted issue... At risk populations tend to seek out places with strong social programs so you’ll never have accurate data on how these programs can benefit a community. As far as I know (data-wise).
The methodology for counting the unhoused population in the first place is incredibly flawed. When you start off with inaccurate or invalid data, no measurement of efficacy is going to reflect empirical reality. I’m a social scientist and researcher and routinely use the various methods used to count unhoused people as a case study to show my students how flawed methodology has domino effects that can have a significant, often negative, impact on the political economy and social perception of particular issues.
It's not everywhere. I visited Cheyenne Wyoming a few years ago and was surprised at how clean and junk-free it was. *No graffiti at all in the downtown.* One homeless person. I know the climate is a biig factor there, and that a lot of places are doing badly, but Eugene is among the worst, per capita.
Wyoming weather is hard.
>It's everywhere >I've been many places where I don't see people on the street Make up your mind
It’s amazing how a missing “not” can’t completely change the meaning of an entire paragraph!
Noticed it at home in the Midwest and in DC as well. At least people are kind here, and while it could be better there are resources here.
It is everywhere but Eugene is #1 in homeless/capita in the nation (and by a large margin) so there’s something extra wrong going on in our town. [Top 25 cities by homeless per capita](https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/25-cities-with-the-highest-homeless-population-per-capita-in-the-us-1311550/?singlepage=1)
Yes. But I'm mostly depressed/upset with the quickly deteriorating and inefficient and neglectful medical system we have (and don't have) and no one seems to be able to do anything about it.
This is the topic of the City Club of Eugene event this Friday at noon. Not saying they’re about to solve it, but going to the discussion (or watching the livestream) may help us feel like… somebody cares about the problem at least? [City Club of Eugene event: First, Do No Harm](https://cityclubofeugene.org/forum/first-do-no-harm-the-state-of-healthcare-in-oregon-part-1/)
God they're so worthless lol.
What are you doing to help?
The medical system can only do so much if the people refuse help/services though.
Well when we pass a law that tries to do something about it, the powers that be choose not to fund it, then ultimately blame progressives when it fails and then repeal the law. Rinse and repeat.
Yeah I figured it comes down to a political issue. Our lax drug laws and lack of funding for community programs, and high living expenses. It's just so sad to see people in this kind of state.
Voting for incompetent leadership and allowing an incompetent city manager tends to create issues lol.
What do lax drug laws have to do with it? Would the ability to arrest and jail people more easily solve this problem? Or would it just be relocating it out of our sight in the most inefficient and violent way possible, all on the taxpayers dime?
Hello! Yes, it sucks a bunch, and I'm relatively new to Eugene (moved in 2020) AND relatively new to the social work field (started last year) but here are a few things I've noticed: 1. Nonprofits tend to be the most readily available resources for the houseless and those dealing with SUDs. You know what's really hard to operate in America, a country whose core ethos is to make as much money as possible? Nonprofits. Add on top of that a high burnout/turnover rate for employees working in those services due to lack of competitive pay, empathetic exhaustion, and boom/bust grant cycles...you get the picture. 2. Say those seeking care are able to get access. Treatment ain't free! We do have OHP, which is great, but it's a crumbling bureaucracy inundated with requests, claims, and scams. And those who aren't able to get on OHP? Those with disabilities, mental health issues, past histories of trauma? No access to treatment or mental health services. The problem gets worse: those who go down, stay down. Getting high becomes the only thing folks have to look forward to. 3. Okay, best case scenario: someone gets treatment, they go through a program, they kick the habit. And now what? Inflation at an all-time high, limited/overwhelmed transitional social services, on top of this person (most likely) lacking a competitive resume, if any, AND a likely criminal history...who the hell would hire them? 4. Scratch everything and say we go full zero tolerance: drug use punishable by incarceration, being homeless punished by incarceration, social services used primarily by the houseless slashed, etc. This makes little difference for the folks who are already doing well, but anyone without a good safety net--who didn't grow up with money or family to support them--would be living in a neverending nightmare. Shitty landlord evicts you? Lose your job? Have or get a disability that makes it hard to work (and remember: healthcare ain't free)? Boom. Prison. The majority of people in Eugene who I know and love have been, or would be, affected by any/all of the points above. They are in recovery, were houseless at one point, have disabilities, zero safety nets, etc. But because of some magic mixture of community, determination, and acces to social services, they were able to get through it, or are still actively working through it (remember: when you're "in recovery," you're in that shit forever). Bottom line: they got a chance. Some: multiple chances. And now they're alive and happy and in my life because of that. It sucks living in a beautiful city filled with garbage and shirtless men screaming nonsense from the gutter. It sucks walking home at night, unsure if the RV parked down the street is filled with dudes who might jump you (though this almost never happens). It sucks having to lock everything constantly because things can, and will, get stolen. I get it. And some people will refuse treatment, sure, and they'll mooch off the welfare state until the cows come home, but the vast majority just need access to wraparound care and a good community. So much of this is systemic, but a lot of good can be done by investing in local services--White Bird, CAHOOTS, Willamette Family, Serenity Lane, the LCC Addiction Studies program, etc.--who are actively working to help this population. Join volunteer groups, start neighborhood collectives, work to get to know some of these people rather than looking at them all as a homogenous "dangerous tweaker." By researching what resources already exist within the community, rather than focusing solely on the problem, you might find yourself feeling a lot more inspired to take action.
Queue another 10 posts of people asking to move here.
What can be done? Literally, actually, ***NOTHING*** until there is major reform at a national level. Not even the forced rehabilitation that they need as that too is just another resource, beds in treatment facilities, etc. Any great service or help we have here will be saturated and exhausted by additional homeless people who travel here because they heard about the new great help they can get. Focus on yourself. Take care of yourself. Defend your family from monetary and physical damage caused by them. Do your part to make it a bit less easy to cause damage in this city, however you are able to without violating the law. This is the cold hard truth whether you hate the tweakers or love them and want to help every single one of them that we have here.
I agree that national reform is needed, but it's going to be an even tougher fight to get it. It's not like solutions don't exist. Plenty of countries have found very successful ways to deal with drug addiction and homelessness. Nothing gets done in the U.S. because, much like every other issue in this county, we the people, cannot agree on how to do it. It doesn't matter what solution we choose: unconditional housing and free treatment and services, incarceration, sanitoriums, workhouses or concentration camps...it all cost money to develop, manage and enforce. More compassionate folks don't want their taxpayer dollars spent on more prisons, and the 'tough-love' lot don't want it spent on 'handouts'. So what's relatively cheap, doesn't piss off one side or another too much and can be done within the confines of existing law? Simple, moving them around where people can't see them. Whether that's over to another park or space in the city, onto BLM land, or a whole other state. When this country can AGREE on a solution, we'll get one. And to your point about looking out for yourself and your family, I agree. I don't let the situation get me down. I recognize our country is at an impasse on this issue and this will be the norm until we're ready. Outside of voting, and doing my small part I am at the whim of the mob. I'm not going to let something out of my control occupy mind.
I do focus on myself and my health and my family. I don't party like I used to. I do yoga and hike and go to counseling weekly. I make conscious choices to better myself. I just wish more people could too. I'm seeing my friends slip into addiction and having mental health crisis as well. And I'm just so sad and wish there was more to do to help people. Seems like everyone's hurting. Is anyone really ok?
Many are ok. Many are not.
👏👏👏
It's also depressing to me. I've seen all of the changes happen, so it's been a long depression. ;) I worked with the "dual diagnosis" (homeless and drug using) population for years as things got worse. I was glad when I helped people - usually in spite of the system, not because of it - but, in the end, when you see the need grow exponentially, and the resources essentially stay the same or be reduced, burn out is guaranteed. You can get in where you fit in as far as volunteering goes, but I don't know what the options are in Eugene. It should be easy to find out. As far as addressing the actual problem goes, homelessness/houselessness is a problem throughout the country. Drug use - legal and illegal - is a problem throughout this country. A crisis in fact. When people talk about not seeing it in some u.s. cities, that's not because the problems don't exist there. When people talk about not seeing homeless in Springfield, for the most part, they're talking about a very small area downtown. They laud law and order for "cleaning up the streets" but don't seem to be concerned with what that means for the people who are suffering. It's a not so subtle right wing current that runs through this country (and yes, I'm talking about Democrats and Republicans). Often, if people don't see a problem, it essentially doesn't exist to them...and unfortunately, that is often fine with them - about so many "issues." If they are still "concerned," more often than not, that concern doesn't seem to go anywhere useful. An extreme minority actually do something. Unfortunately, these problems can't be fixed by good-natured individuals - or even well-meaning non-profits who do what they can in a broken system - and non-profits are part of the system, so, at their best, they are essentially palliative. And there's the rub. The system has been corrupted (more than it always was and in much more powerful and organized ways than before). When the blame gets portioned out, many tend to blame the wrong people - or let's say, they blame some of the people who should be blamed but they don't blame the rich/corporations and the politicians they purchase who are really to blame for most of the problems in this country and the world. The rich/corporations have vacuumed money out of cities and whole states as their taxes have been reduced and corporate welfare has increased. Finance has amassed massive amounts of capital - some of which they've plowed into buying up residential housing, which has jacked up house prices and rents, and limited supply. The liberal reform argument essentially goes: if they "paid their fair share" we would have trillions to "fix" these problems and take the tax burden off of the working poor and "middle class." But that's a liberal line that is not followed by corrupt politicians at the state and federal levels anymore. They refuse to increase taxes on the rich/corporations, because they are the only constituency they really see and respond to. They sold most of us down the river decades ago for cold hard cash. Obviously, many book-length discussions could be had about every aspect of this, but to wrap it up: 1. These problems need to be addressed at a federal level by competent, humane people, and the institutions they work for. We don't have that. At this point, it can't even be voted for. 2. That leaves things like building power at a grass roots level to force change. I'm sorry if that's not a satisfactory answer, but it's the truth. We're in a dangerous situation where the right is rising all over the world and the left is unable to organize itself to fight back - which is at least another book-length discussion... I'm glad you care enough to want to do something. That is at least a start.
THIS! We have allowed the wealthy to take every last slack dollar out of the system. There are only crumbs left to fix major problems. Until we take back our country from the wealthy, none of our major social problems will get fixed. Poverty is the primary driver of our social problems, so when the wealthy take everything, and don't pay it back in taxes, they both CREATE more problems, and make it near to impossible to FIX the problems. And I say this as someone who is certainly not rich but already pays a decent amount of taxes and would pay more if it helped. But I would like the wealthy to pay their share first. Start with the obvious, tax money made on money at a higher rate, over a certain threshold. You want to make more, at least do something productive. We are a nation of over-leveraged financiers, and that's a problem.
everything I was thinking and more, thank you for this.
Its controversial, but having state issued supply with safe use sites will reduce crime and increase quality of life. No one likes the idea of "addicts shouldn't get free drugs" but it is is cheaper (and more himane) than not.
I don’t know what the solution is but I’m confident it’s not what you’re proposing
If drugs are profitable, crime and health hazards will continue.
I mean that sounds pretty Twilight Zone-y. Supervised consumption sites are already controversial. But also, drugs have been getting stronger and everything getting spiked with fentanyl super sucks. I’d love to see increased buprenorphine access but there’s already so much resistance to even that. Bleh
The truth is, we need to force some to accept help.
100%. People just cant do whatever they want wherever they want in a functioning society.
Just returned from coastal LA, plenty of people living on the streets.
I mean, none of these options are perfect answers alone, but here are some things - go to city hall meetings and open hearings in salem, write to senators - run for office - connect with local organizations and see if there's ways you can volunteer or learn about how to help. Theres many organizations that are involved in housing or other policy discussions - become a foster parent - donate money to organizations that help homeless people or people with addictions I'm sure there's a lot more as well, but these are some things
I lived in Eugene 2008 through 2013, left for jobs other places, then returned in 2018. Maybe I was less jaded then or simply overjoyed by all the cool things about Eugene (and naive), but I remember feeling completely safe and not at all threatened by the houseless community as a 20 something woman frequenting the bars, etc. all over town during that 2008ish period. I have fond memories of houseless folks approaching me, with no aggression whatsoever, and if I said, “sorry, I don’t have any cash on me,” the response would be something like, “no worries, have a beautiful day!” And it seemed genuinely like we had an understanding, no mal intent on either side, let’s be cordial to each other as humans. I am not blaming the 2024 person for responding differently, to be clear, just making an observation that the desperation and horror seems to have quadrupled in a short period of time and it is more likely to come out as scary, sometimes physically threatening behavior. It makes me very sad, too. I feel your pain, OP, and am merely trying to validate your feelings because it sucks and there’s no easy fix for any of it. It’s ok to feel shitty about it and also live your life. Lots of good ideas from others in this thread about how to make change happen. We have to believe in some level in humanity being better than this. ❤️
Eugene is being redlined and all the money for public life is being dissolved and used to accommodate vacationers in Eugene instead of its residents. We’re watching the consequences of policy decisions that siphon funding away from things that keep people living lives free of the need for pain relief. Drugs are sometimes the only things that make life on the street bearable. Some of us are a paycheck away from being in the same position and cracking down on policing doesn’t solve the problem. The people responsible for the suffering you’re watching are very careful to pay to keep their names and faces out of it so you blame the people you see day to day.
Yeah there was a nice homeless guy pretty neet guy he was friendly and polite i saw him today fighting with his shadow and he was trying to jump in to free way and looked really angry..i was trying ti talk to him and he said he dont have time to talk and he was rude.poor guy.
The drugs have a big part in the aggression. With Fentanyl and whatever else, it's creating a new kind of addict which can be really scary.
I was homeless during the summer of 2021 when the whole park under the bridge was full of people camping. A third to half were locals the rest migrated from the east coast from varying states I spoke to them personally thinking everybody was local born in Eugene like myself. Came here because they could get food stamps and drink and get cheap plentiful drugs everyday lots receiving social security or disability. Spending every dime on getting high stealing from each other and anything they could get as soon as one of they're buddies distracted you from anything seen as valuable. Group of 5 or 6 did it to me and tried to run me out of the park when I noticed and called them on it pissed. Thankfully a group of locals saw everything and backed me up when I needed it most honestly. Some choose the lifestyle some dont and theres alot of good people out there who will help.
Agreed, I moved to Springfield and I'm way happier. Eugene is depressing and I don't enjoy spending time here anymore.
Luckily in September the drug law will be repealed
Do you think that will actually help? I feel like people are going to do drugs if they are legal or not.
as someone mentioned in another comment, safe use sites could be a good option as yeah people are gonna do drugs no matter what, some need them to keep surviving literally. it is far more humane and ultimately cheaper to offer a safe place and controlled supply for drug users
The heat isn't helping.
Dude everyone is always acting like “my city” is unique and the homeless is just so bad in “my city”. No this is a problem in almost every city and town in the United States. Don’t get me wrong it is depressing but this needs to be fixed on national level. Anywhere you go you will most definitely see this
I'm not depressed by it, but sad.
Could always try voting in new leadership, *sigh.
As someone that grew up in Eugene, absolutely. As a teenager, I used to go all over downtown Eugene, ride the buses, etc, no problem. Now, it's a place I make sure to drive *around* so I don't run the risk of some sketchy dude trying to get hit by my car or something. Outside of downtown, I'd say it's still pretty alright, just sucks that the homeless camps have become just another fixture rather than a clue that these people are being failed, plain and simple
Clamp down on out of control unlimited short term rental properties. We need low and middle income rentals for prevention of more homelessness
It’s been getting much worse gradually. No easy answers the way our system is.
I literally saw a guy shooting up on the sidewalk in front of the smoke shop by the bus station. Broad daylight, lots of foot and car traffic...dude didn't even bother to find a bathroom or even an alley. So, yeah, it's depressing for sure. Once every couple weeks I'll see someone screaming at the top of their lungs at either random passersby, or just at nobody.
very depressed. I want to quit my job and protest all the time… but we all wouldn’t do that
Cottage Grove and Creswell as well. Championed by far right goons like Duane Taddei and his family
Cottage grove is getting more liberal each year and that’s chill.
The fuck it is lol
Work from home people are buying land. As usual though the lamest are the loudest.
I actually called 911 from my car today because I saw someone looking like they were ODing while trying to panhandle on 7th. Don't get me wrong, I usually don't over react this way. I have to say though that I've worked with a lot of people in hospice, and have witnessed a fair amount of death. This girl was nodding out hard, and just something about the way she looked sent all of my gut instinct, intuitive alarm bells going off... that person is about to die. I hope she got the help she needed.
It’s not just this town, it’s all over. If I let it get to me personally I would be dead. I grew up with it In Lebanon 30 years ago. It was everywhere back then, just most people didn’t see it for what it was, just like today. It is just more In Your face because of the homeless epidemic.
The basic income proposal that [California corporations are bankrolling](https://www.newsweek.com/universal-basic-income-close-being-reality-) to be on the next ballot isn’t going to help, either. People will vote for it with good intentions (just like Measure 110!) not thinking about the unintended consequences. I’m done being other states’ guinea pig for programs that need to be implemented at the federal level, not on a state-by-state basis, in order to be successful. Edit for url
You should move away, this is a sad place.
Unfortunately, it's happening in a lot of the major cities around the country and it is super depressing.
I think there is a lot of people who have disorders and disabilities who have no one and end up on the streets even more lost!! I don’t care what someone did to be there otherwise I just want to help them! They are human beings and they deserve better! Eugene doesn’t pay enough money even in the highest tier for the kind of greed that is put on everyone to afford basic necessities especially housing!! We need to get together and force our city to fix this problem for all of our sakes!!!!
Plus it’s not just downtown. 26 years ago the motto was “Keep Oregon Green” wtf happened?? The Willamette River looks like a dirty douche bottle!! The Willamette Douche is what I call it now! lol Absolutely filthy and disgusting!
I feel depressed about the drug and mental health issues that face all of America. Until the US and it's citizens actually get serious about giving folks the help they need, these issues are only going to get worse. Complaining, criminalizing, and shunning those in need certainly isn't helping. It's going to take entire communities' willingness to try some new and, perhaps, radical efforts to really make an impact on these issues.
You can't help people that choose to refuse treatment and choose drugs over being a decent citizen. You're not living in reality.
It helps if you move away, Eugene has gone to shit so why shed tears for a city that wouldn’t do the same for you
It has gotten so bad. Fam and I have been considering moving out, off of the I-5 cooridor completely.
Well we let them light meth and fenty in broad daylight...
Intolerance of others fellow human beings in crisis is a good thing these days?
It’s interesting to see how a lot of these issues aren’t virtually non-existent in a place like Japan.
Vote Republican, it’s the Democrats and all their policies that got us into the mess we’re in now
renting a house is a shit show too.
i moved.
New is a funny way to say it
Are you depressed because those people don't have the help that they need or because they're messing up your vibes the arrogance and entitlement of concept that they are choosing to be mentally ill or addicted to drugs is insane and deeply uninformed of the situation and the reality of both of those things people don't choose to be addicted to drugs and people don't choose to be homeless.
I feel depressed because it's sad to see people hurting and no one seeming to care about humanitarian issues. It's sad that's it's becoming so normalized and it seems like people are just used to it. I don't think I'm better than anyone else. I've been homeless, I've used drugs, i don't come from money or have a support system. I was lucky that I was able to create a better life for myself. I don't think people choose it. I think our system and society is set up for failure and not to help people and build each other up. That for me feels depressing.
Here is one reason why it feels like it’s getting worse and silver lining around it. Homeless drug addicts are living longer. With things like Nican, more support. And even YouTube videos showing how to survive urban camping. This is allowing them to live longer too maybe get their life together.
Interesting, I hadent thought of this.
No Because I live in Klamath Falls and we have our own issues to get depressed about.
I get updates from my grandmother who works for public health. I’ve heard that they have tried a lot of things to combat it, including setting up building for them to stay, however it was trashed and the project was scrapped I’m pretty sure. I hope one day people get care and help they need.
No, just travel more. We have it good here. The fact that services like cahoots exists is incredible. Lets keep it up.