The Salem Downtown Homelessness Solutions Task Force, chaired by Councilor Cara Kaser (Ward 1), has come up with several recommendations to help with the homeless situation in downtown Salem, Oregon. The task force was formed by Salem Mayor Chuck Bennett in 2017 to address the growing issue of homeless people in the downtown area.

There are more than 1,200 homeless people in Marion and Polk counties according to a 2018 “Point in Time” count.

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Over the course of six meetings from February – August, 2018, the task force analyzed specific impacts of homelessness in downtown Salem as it relates to trash, health, hygiene, and perceptions of safety. The goal was to come up with recommendations to make downtown more inviting and welcoming while addressing the concerns of downtown businesses, customers, and those who are homeless.

Made up of city councilors, business owners, service providers, neighborhood association representatives, property owners, residents, and advocates for the homeless (see end of article for full list), the task force has forwarded the following final recommendations to the mayor:

> Provide public toilet facilities that are available 24/7.

> Provide a hygiene center with showers and laundry facilities to serve homeless individuals in the downtown.

> Endorse a simplified point of contact system individuals may call for support in dealing with issues related to homelessness and provide the community with easy to understand guidance on when to call 9-1-1 verses the non-emergency number.

> Support the development of additional storage for homeless individuals in need of a safe place to store their possessions during the day.

> Support alternative ways of giving.

> Encourage property owners to make building and site modifications that implement Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design and provide Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Area grants for improvements that meet grant criteria.

> Pursue options for expanding downtown cleaning services.

> Establish a Downtown Good Neighbor Partnership for those who live, work, shop, and visit downtown Salem that supports appropriate behavior and ongoing dialogue with stakeholders. In conjunction with the establishment of a Downtown Good Neighbor Partnership, City staff will assess Salem codes and ordinances to ensure that the City is appropriately balancing the rights of those who live, work, and shop in our downtown, and providing the City of Salem with the tools needed to address behaviors that negatively impact others.

One of the more controversial topics the task force discussed, but didn’t recommend, was a potential ban on sidewalk sleeping in the downtown area. A sample of other topics discussed, by the task force or guests, included:

> a tiny home community

> jobs for the homeless

> shelters for vulnerable populations

> creating rules to deal with negative behavior

> helping the homeless gain respect and not feel abandoned

> dealing with mental illness

> rewarding homeless for good behavior

Downtown Homelessness Solutions Task Force Members:

Al Tandy

Salem Summit

Angie Onyewuchi

Travel Salem

Brad Compton

Pioneer Trust Bank

Christy Wood

Runaway Art Studio

Councilor Cara Kaser

Chair; City Councilor for Ward 1

Councilor Matthew Ausec

City Councilor for Ward 5

Dana Vugteveen

Salem Center

Evan Delgado

Governor’s Cup

Gayle Doty

Downtown Resident

Irene Bernards

Travel Salem

Jason Myers

Marion County Sheriff

Jim Lewis

City Councilor for Ward 8

Jon Reeves

Mid Willamette Valley Community Action Agency

Neal Kern

CANDO Neighborhood Association

Paul Logan

Northwest Human Services

Sandy Powell

Olivia’s

Shannon Garcia

Oregon Law Center

Steven Hill

Union Gospel Mission

Trevor Phillips

Emergency Room Physician

Now that the recommendations have been made to help and deal with Salem homeless in the downtown area, there are no further Salem Downtown Homelessness Solutions Task Force meetings scheduled.