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Community Solutions for Community Problems

In the City of Portland, Oregon, City and County government have begun the process of moving illegal homeless camps next to preschools, elementary schools, and nursing homes. Communities are being left out of the conversations to collaborate and identify the best possible locations for projects serving the homeless. Neighborhoods should have a say in decisions impacting our communities. Homeless individuals should have a say in decisions impacting their lives. Join us as we engage our government and demand a fair process.

A law that passed through the Oregon Legislature makes it illegal to place limits on the number and type of hard walled homeless campsites in cities throughout Oregon.

What's happening in St. Johns and why you should care

Right now, the city and county governments are working to move an illegal homeless
camp from the affluent Overlook neighborhood to the heart of downtown working-class
St. Johns. The government is seeking to invest very little money into the project,
partnering with inexperienced non-profits to build tiny structures with metal fencing.

The location the government has picked in St. Johns is directly adjacent an elementary
school and a preschool. It also borders the St. Johns Bachelor's Club, a 110-year-old neighborhood institution with a long history of community involvement. The club is fearful this encampment will end their existence, as they are reliant on renting space for events and weddings. Possible negative or positive impacts on these organizations or nearby families or businesses were not considered as there is no financial community impact assessment report.

Valid questions have not been answered about how this site would provide reasonable
access to services or jobs toward the goal of permanent housing. Concerns about
placing convicted felons near schools have not been addressed. Questions about
whether a nearby organization that hands out needles, meth pipes, and other drug
paraphernalia could be detrimental to those in recovery have been ignored.
Why should you care? Portland’s homeless crisis is getting worse, not better.
Neighborhoods cannot afford poorly funded, poorly planned, poorly executed city
solutions. Portland neighborhoods must come together in support of each other. We
can play a vital role in the success of public housing. If the city fails to seek
neighborhood input and support, these experiments are destined to fail.

St. Johns is the first neighborhood the City seeks to place a homeless camp in our
small downtown district near elementary & preschools. It may be the first, it won’t be the
last.

Funding Goal

$30,000

100% of the proceeds will go toward political affairs, business outreach, or one of these better-fit alternatives. Following the campaign, any unused funds will be donated to local, community-run homeless services.

About Us

Neighbors for Healthy Communities is a group of neighbors who came together after hearing from the City of their plans to relocate the Hazelnut Grove Homeless Encampment. We quickly learned this project was being delivered unto us without planning and under a veil of secrecy and misinformation.

We are PRO-Community. We are NOT anti-homeless. We BELIEVE the neighborhood should help those who are in need. We want a voice regarding changes in our community.

We seek to partner with the City and County to identify suitable locations for this project. The current location is next to an elementary school, two preschools, at the entryway to our business district, and on privately-owned land requiring exorbitant rent and development using YOUR tax dollars.

Priority #1

Responsibly relocate the Hazelnut Grove homeless camp

You Can Help! Get Involved!

Political Outreach

Ask local and state representatives to impose a 1000' buffer between homeless villages to grade schools and retirement facilities.

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Make a Financial Contribution

Your contribution will aid in legal and political affairs, and business outreach. Unused funds will be donated to local, community-run homeless services.

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Identify Reasonable Alternatives

Work with us to find suitable alternatives to help the city deal with this crisis in a way that meets the needs of the housed and the homeless.

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“Every neighborhood in Portland will be asked to find a spot to put a homeless camp.”

- Portland Parks Commissioner Amanda Fritz

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“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much” – Helen Keller.

Pop up petition

No homeless camp near grade schools and preschools

Ask that homeless camps not be placed next door to preschools and elementary schools. Tell the City of Portland and Multnomah County to consider common-sense alternative locations. Ask city leaders to consider common sense alternative locations​

READ THE PETITION