Gov. Kotek ran on addressing Oregon's out of control housing problem. She is willing to work with Oregon's cities and smaller communities to find answers to not only the growing number of unhoused but also making housing affordable for those who find making the rent harder and harder year by year.
Fun facts about people who are unhoused.
Each person has their own story.
Most are locals
Some have jobs that don't pay enough,
a majority of chronic unhoused have mental problems,
some have drug problems,
some have both,
most are unhoused for less than two years,
some are troubled vets,
some have pets
some have partners
some are kids who ran away from abusive parents.
They all are US citizens and have the right to sleep. Oregon's communities aren't taking responsibility to provide shelter and housing to enable the unhoused to exercise that right. They, as you say, think it's a bad idea to have homeless camps. I don't want homeless camps in my parks either but I recognize the right of the unhoused to find shelter where they can rest, sleep and recover.
Regarding the bill that
@Dr.Amber Trichome referenced; I see it as helpful. It takes away the option of cities and other Oregon communities to harass and prosecute unhoused people in the attempt to make them "go away". Removing that option, provides motivation for reluctant communities to work with the Oregon State government to find solutions that work for them and the unhoused. Because every unhoused person has a different story to tell, there isn't one answer, but everybody has a legal right to sleep. That is the minimum humane solution that Oregon must find.
I think you need to reconsider placing the unhoused in compounds. I call them compounds because about a third of Oregon's unhoused aren't mentally ill. That suggestion is more like a prison than some kind of humane answer.
