STOP WASTING MONEY, START HELPING THE HOMELESS

City, county, and state politicians have never spent more on homelessness, yet more people than ever are camping – and dying – on city streets.

Tell the politicians to stop wasting money on a bloated homeless industrial complex and start getting people safely off the streets with designated camping areas and safe shelters. We cannot use city streets as a waiting room for services and housing.

The failed Joint Office of Homeless Services is set to double its staff and spend $50,000 for every person currently without shelter. Instead of growing a bureaucracy, we need to get people off the streets with the help they need.

TAKE ACTION NOW – THANK YOU.

Dear [Lawmaker],

As an elected official in the Portland area, you have never had more money to combat the homeless crisis. But the crisis is getting worse.

Instead of continuing to pour money into a failed homeless industrial complex bureaucracy, I urge you to act now. Stop funding the failed city-county Joint Office of Homeless Services. Start getting more people off the streets more quickly.

It’s inhumane, unsafe and unfair to use city streets and public areas as the waiting room for services and housing. We need a change in direction. Step one, create safe designated camping areas with access to water, restrooms, and trash services. Step two, establish more emergency shelters with access to life-saving services. Step three, fast-track and cut the cost of affordable, permanent housing.

All of us want Portland to recover. All of us want to help the homeless. All of us want safe streets again. Please have the courage to set aside ideology and failed programs to save lives and clean up our streets.

Thank you,

Sincerely,
______

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