Local News

Oregon is Crying For Help: The Growing Strain on Grants Pass and Beyond

Grants Pass is hurting, drastically. The city has struggled with the homeless crisis for years now, and despite various attempts, no lasting solution has been found. Residents witness the growing encampments, the strain on public services, and a community increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress. There appears to be a real effort underway with the Pathway To Stability program but it has yet come to fruition. Compounding the issue, Oregon state lawmakers continue to…

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May 16, 2025

City Politics / County Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics / State Politics

Homeless Summary and Learn about HB 3115 the homeless law

Listening and Learning Session: HB 3115 - Unhoused time, place, and manner regulations https://www.grantspassoregon.gov/civicalerts.aspx?aid=3644 Date: Monday, May 19, 2025Time: 6 pm.Location: Council Chambers at City Hall, 101 NW A Street, Grants Pass, Oregon 97526. “The listening session will be conducted by City Manager Aaron Cubic, and City Attorney Stephanie Nuttall will be available to provide information as well. There will be an opportunity for people to submit questions regarding this topic before the session begins,…

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May 14, 2025

City Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics / State Politics

Oregon Legislative Bills to Repeal HB 3115 – Homeless Regulations

There are currently two bills in the Oregon Legislature aimed at repealing HB 3115: Senate Bill SB645 and House Bill HB2432. HB 3115 is the law that makes it extremely difficult for Oregon cities to regulate and enforce homeless camping, due to its requirement that restrictions on time, place, and manner must be “objectively reasonable.” Although the 2025 legislative session is winding down, it remains essential to continue contacting our legislators and urging them to…

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May 13, 2025

City Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics / State Politics

Homeless: Why Grants Pass must have a designated resting area

In Oregon, if a city does not provide designated places for homeless individuals to rest or sleep, it faces both legal and practical challenges due to state laws and recent court rulings. This will hopefully explain, even with the recent supreme court ruling, why Oregon cites (like Grants Pass) must offer designated areas for resting. Legal Obligations Under Oregon Law Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 195.530 (also known as HB3115) mandates that any Oregon city or…

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May 12, 2025

City Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics / State Politics

Oregon versus Idaho: Homelessness and Drug Addiction (Part II)

If you missed Part I of this serious please check it out: Oregon versus Idaho: Homelessness and Drug Addiction (Part I) - A Voice Within In part II - How does Oregon compare to Idaho for money allocated to homelessness and drug addiction? Oregon and Idaho, despite being neighboring states, allocate vastly different resources to address homelessness and drug addiction. Oregon: Significant Investment Amid Ongoing Challenges Oregon has committed substantial funding to combat homelessness and…

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May 11, 2025

City Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics / State Politics

Oregon versus Idaho: Homelessness and Drug Addiction (Part I)

What separates Oregon from Idaho when it comes to homelessness and drug addiction? After all, Oregon and Idaho are neighboring states. Yet Oregon ranks among the highest in both homelessness and drug addiction, while Idaho ranks near the bottom in both categories. Despite their close proximity, these two states show a stark contrast in these critical issues. Homeless: Oregon #5, Idaho #21 (This is per 10,000 people in 2024) https://usafacts.org/articles/which-states-have-the-highest-and-lowest-rates-of-homelessness Drug Addiction: Oregon #12, Idaho…

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May 10, 2025

City Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics

Homeless Shelter: Say No To Vine St. Homeless Project

Temporary Resting Areas At the most recent city council meeting, the increase in designated “campsites” or “resting sites” was approved. There are a few important points to consider: This action was necessary to comply with the current legal injunction that prevents enforcement of certain homelessness regulations. Without these designated areas, homeless encampments could proliferate unchecked, with no legal means to intervene. There is no question that these temporary campsites which are located in the downtown…

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May 8, 2025

City Politics / Homeless / Local News

Restore Transparency and Community Engagement in the Pathway to Stability Program

I must express my concern with the direction some members of the Grants Pass City Council are taking regarding the Pathway to Stability program. There appears to be a rush to push this initiative through without sufficient dialogue with the community. A troubling lack of communication and transparency is evident among certain council members. When the new city council and, for that matter, the county commissioners took office in January, I urged them to prioritize…

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May 6, 2025

City Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics

Open Letter to City Council and Mayor: May 1st, 2025

Dear Mayor and City Council, I feel we are being betrayed by the very same people we helped elect and put our faith in. There has been no real outreach effort with the community on this shelter proposal. Many questions and concerns have gone unanswered. We have a vagrant drug addiction problem more than anything else. That is what is destroying our community, fix that issue and you have solved the worst part of our…

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May 6, 2025

City Politics / Homeless / Local News / Local Politics

Homelessness: Options and Solutions from My Perspective

Background In a previous article, Understanding State and Federal Law in Regard to Homelessness, I discussed a Supreme Court ruling that effectively gave states the authority to regulate homelessness. Oregon had already enacted laws addressing this issue, including HB 3115, which allows cities to regulate homelessness in a time, place and manner that is “objectively reasonable.” However, this law has created significant challenges for local governments, as cities and counties struggle to implement regulations that comply…

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May 4, 2025