Regarding “Boulders to Deter Homeless Campers on Sidewalks: Reasonable Response or Just Wrong” (Oct. 1): This is inhumane and cruel. It sends one clear message: “You’re not welcome here.” The Oregon Department of Transportation paid a whopping $1 million to discourage a vulnerable population to go away when they have nowhere else to go. Instead, Oregon could use these taxpayer dollars to fulfill a mission that should be central to all state government employees, which is to serve the needs of all Oregonians. Why not use $1 million to expand homeless shelter funding, or low-income housing projects, or inclusive-access public restrooms for safer and more sanitary spaces to use the bathroom?

On any given day in my hometown of Portland, 14,476 people do not have a roof over their heads, and 4,321 people experience chronic homelessness. Filling in areas where the homeless dwell with rocks further divides Portland. Skyrocketing rent prices and new high-rise apartments have become a harsh, new norm here, pushing more folks out of their homes. It’s fair to not want people to live on the streets, but this means our community should collectively do everything in its power to lend a helping hand – not create a rockier path to their well-being and success.

Remove the rocks and do the right thing.

Abby Welter, Portland