What is happening with the homeless in Grants Pass is not the result of our city council but is a result of Oregon’s laws. The supreme court brought back the ability for states to deal with the issue themselves, as it should be. The problem is Oregon’s laws that have allowed the homeless to take over our city and all other cities around Oregon resulting in constant lawsuits.
The famous HB3115 law which in the end appears to give the homeless more rights than the taxpaying citizens. Until HB3115 is repealed, we are at the mercy of the homeless. If the homeless find reason and a lawyer willing to take their case, the lawsuits will never end – until HB3115 is repealed. The one thing California has done right is not enact such a policy – which is why California can now ban homeless camping sites in their communities which is what they are doing right now.
At some point we must unite all our communities and counties to fight this, to have HB3115 repealed. My understanding is Rep. Dwayne Yunker and others have already sponsored such bills but they never make it to a committee since Oregon has a super-majority of democrats. This will have to be fought much like the wildfire map is being fought, from the ground up.
For a better understanding of HB3115 check out;
Understanding State and Federal Law in regard to Homelessness: