PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The City of Portland’s own rules prohibit camping within 150 feet of Safe Rest Villages. However, neighbors living across from the Menlo Park site claim they have been forced to put up with years of open drug use, trash, and illegal camping just steps away from the shelter — and now, they’re demanding action.
When the site opened in 2022, some landlords told KOIN 6 News they were cautiously optimistic.
Pacific Northwest gas prices surge to nearly $1 more than national average
At the time, Landlord Karen Alvarez said she lost a tenant at her Ash Street home due to fear of what the shelter might bring. Despite the financial loss, she said the city’s rules might help keep the neighborhood clean.
“I noticed that it did clear out for a little while,” Alvarez said. “So, I almost feel like if the streets and the sidewalks were kept clear, the village might be okay.”…