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NW Examiner: Civility Collapses on North Park Blocks

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Civility collapses on North Park Blocks- Sept 2015
Civility collapses on North Park Blocks- Sept 2015 – click to enlarge

The September 2015 issue of the NW Examiner details this summer’s dramatic decline of the North Park Blocks.
Click here for PDF of article

Our lovely park has become home to vagrants who openly do drugs, have sex, fights and regularly urinate and defecate in public. … This is affecting my business and more importantly, Portland’s prosperity in the long run.” ~ Michelle Cardinal, CEO of the R2C ad agency located on the North Park Blocks.

“Everyone I speak to is talking about the city being out of control… It’s very scary what happening to the city right now … younger ‘road warriors’ with aggressive, unleashed dogs began taking over public spaces.  I have so much compassion of the truly homeless people, but they are not the problem.” ~ Stan Penkin, co-founder of Friendly Steers and a member of the Pearl District Neighborhood Association (PDNA) Livability Committee.

 

Comments

3 responses to “NW Examiner: Civility Collapses on North Park Blocks”

  1. Benjaminhavoc Avatar
    Benjaminhavoc

    The behavior that goes on at the npb,makes me wonder why the mayor hasn’t addressed that particular problem..
    One of the problems in this city,is that the homeless are allowed to camp wherever they want and are allowed to panhandle as well..every city in America has anti-panhandling laws..why is Portland different? Why has the mayor given the homeless people free reign to do what they want? Its his fault that its so out of control..he needs to make some changes to some local ordinances..if we make it harder to be a homeless drug addict with no regard to the people around them,then the problem might just fix itself..since when is it right to inject drugs in the view of children? We need to take steps to change this “sanctuary city” for addicts and homeless people..

    Reply
  2. lowestcommondenominator Avatar
    lowestcommondenominator

    Note: This comment was upgraded to a post.

    Having traveled both nationally and internationally in some pretty rough areas…and now settled in the Pearl for about 2 years, can this be compared to anything I’ve seen ….anywhere?

    Nope!

    Only in the Pearl. Only in Portland. And it’s getting worse every month I’m still here…what a shame the government doesn’t enforce the laws to create a safe Parks and City.

    Panhandlers: Multi-shopping-cart beggars that compliment you on what you’re wearing, and then when no money is offered, they yell at you to, “suck their D**k”, or to “F**k-off”.

    Homeless-litterbugs: They leave their mess behind day after day for someone else to pick up. Piles. Boxes they slept on. Food containers. Vomit. Whatever else their body relieves. It’s everywhere…not just the parks, but up and down the streets from the Park…Davis, Everett, Flanders, and Glisan.

    Drugs dealers: Bags, needles, you name it, all for sale in the Park, and just a half block from the wonderful playground for the kids. How instructive for them…. Fast-exchange deals, new business ops, gone bad deals…with all the yelling, ruckus, and foul language. Either way, it’s routine…daily, uninterrupted by the law.

    Porta-Potty???; The naïve wonder …where do the homeless go to the bathroom? The Portland Loo? Why take the time? That’s a block or two away… Watch them pull down their pants or whip it out in broad daylight. Across from million dollar condos.The remains, with toilet paper…it’s all just in piles around the trees. No fear in being watched. No matter. It’s their territory. No one is stopping them.

    Booze it up: I observing 2 drunks relieving themselves on the front doors of a high end condo a block away from the park, my instinct blurted “you’ve gotta be kidding me!” Oooops …My bad. This isn’t my Park. It’s theirs. The two responded with, “Mr….You gotta problem with us???…Yo, Mr….You gotta problem with us???… Then followed me yelling for 4 blocks. Scared for life…note to self…no words, no eye contact, never. This is their place, not mine.

    Portland Pearl, the visitors paradise. And then there’s the Naito Parkway waterfront…. just more of the same, in spades. A should-be focus for locals and visitors…. instead, it’s now officially on the “NOT SAFE to be there list”. Sad. Such a beautiful area…lost to the un-ruled.

    Portland, Mayor, City Council….wake up!!! And take back your city. The police enforce your law. Right now, they are handcuffed by your “leave them alone” directives. (I know, I’ve asked many of them…)

    Reply
    1. think Avatar
      think

      I couldn’t agree more with your comments & experience. I moved her from SF 4 years ago and it’s way worse here in regards to open sex, open drugs, open defecating and urinating, vomiting, dumping garbage and used needles and pitt bulls off leash and not neutered/spayed/vaccinated.
      Portland won’t ever rival her neighbors (Seattle and SF) with this policy of allowing these losers to own the parks and streets. I suppose a child has to step on a dirty needle and contact HIV or HEP B/C for anything to change?
      What a disgusting outrage and it sure shows how willfully ignorant and smug Portlanders can be. Also, how pathetic that monitoring and publicizing this public safety emergency has to be done by business owners in the Pearl! I also feel very bad for the workers down there having to deal with these criminal addicts while trying to get to/from work! It’s just nasty.

      Reply

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