TO: — SALEM CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR
RE: HOMELESS PROBLEMS ON CHURCH STREET NE CONNECTED TO HOAP-
PROGRAM
DATE: JUNE 2017
We are property owners, residents, and staff of businesses on Church
Street NE between Union and D Street. This is a mixed residential and
business neighborhood with attorneys, psychological counseling offices, a
medical sleep center, single family and multi-family residences. This
neighborhood has been a desirable location with many well-maintained
businesses and vintage houses on the north edge of downtown Salem.
Since the HOAP program (Homeless Advocacy Program) managed by NW
Human Services located on our block several years ago, we have had
ongoing problems with clients of HOAP services. Problems have
significantly worsened in the past several months as homeless people and
their belongings have been continually lingering or sleeping around the
HOAP building at all hours. In talking with a HOAP staff member, services
are currently available to ‘anyone who shows up’. Many, if not most, of
HOAP clients have mental illness or substance abuse problems.
After contacting Paul Logan, Director of NW Human Services, the loitering
and sleeping around the building and adjacent buildings has significantly
improved during business hours. However, on weekends when the office is
closed and the police downtown enforcement team is off duty, there are
often 6-10 shopping carts filled with household belongings parked in front
of the HOAP building, with homeless citizens coming and going.
According to an officer of the Salem police department which has been
called many times in recent months, this increased loitering and sleeping in
public and private properties by HOAP clients corresponds to a 50%
reduction of services by the downtown Union Gospel Mission due to fire
safety issues. As a result, many of Salem's homeless population are now
receiving meals, showers, laundry services, coffee, and socializing in our
neighborhood, bringing with them all of their household belongings which
can no longer be stored at the mission.Problems we have experienced in our neighborhood with HOAP clients
include:
1. People sleeping and intoxicated in fenced backyards, under
bushes or on porches of homes and businesses, leaving blankets,
empty bottles and trash
2. Hypodermic needles left in bushes of residences with young
children
3. Loud arguing and fighting among recipients in front of HOAP and
in the alley west of Church Street, frightening residents and
children
. HOAP clients urinating and defecating at the entrance of a
business and threatening staff
A resident approached by a mentally ill patient with a knife
A resident's tires slashed
Items stolen from residential porches
. Up to 20 people at once with shopping carts of belongings
loitering, and sleeping in front of the HOAP offices
9. Significant increase in trash along the street
10.Residents being hassled, and panhandled by HOAP clients
11,Women residents being heckled and approached by mentally ill
HOAP recipients.
12.Several people camping along the HOAP building evenings and
weekends in violation of ordinances. This has occurred frequently
during daytime and weekday hours as well.
13.According to residents, on a recent morning, there were
approximately 30 people and shopping carts loitering in front of the
HOAP building at 7:30 am.
14, Recently a resident describing the following situation as “creepy”,
asked two sleeping men to leave her fenced private backyard, but
they did not respond. She had to call a handiman to come to wake
them and make them leave. Empty bottles, clothes, cans were left
had to be disposed of by the handiman.
Our businesses and residents have been negatively affected by these
problems. Prospective renters have chosen not to rent apartments because
of the visible nuisance factor along the street. Business clients likewise are
uncomfortable parking and entering businesses.
ONOPrior to the arrival of the HOAP program, this was a desirable
neighborhood of classic, vintage, well-maintained homes and businesses.
Before the recent homeless crisis, HOAP provided mainly medication
management and counseling services to identified clients, and following
neighbor complaints, had ceased to provide coffee to anyone who showed
up regardless of whether they received services. This had reduced
loitering, loud arguing, confrontations with residents and trash. Recent.
expansion of services to include meals, showers, laundry and peer support
to all comers has reversed this situation and significantly exacerbated the
problem.
According to the Salem Compliance Department they no longer work with
homeless persons because they are unarmed and it is considered too
dangerous.
While we support the mission of providing needed services to Salem's
homeless population, it is our belief that it is inappropriate for these
services to be rendered in this neighborhood due to its negative impact on
residents, apartment owners and businesses. While we appreciate the
recent efforts of HOAP staff to reduce loitering, we urgently request help
from the city in alleviating this problem.
Sincerely,
Church Street Neighborhood
(see signature page)