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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

News New Emergency Women's Shelter Opens Downtown

Posted by Matt Davis on Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 5:22 PM

The Salvation Army opened its new 34-bed women's emergency shelter on NW 5th and Burnside this afternoon:
womenshelter.jpg

The center, which has been funded with money from the city, property owner John Beardsley, and the mayor's Street Access For Everyone committee, also has a day access center in front, which will provide somewhere for women to get off the streets between 7am and 11pm. The center is moving from its old location at 131 SW Ankeny, to make way for drug treatment beds there to be used by the city's service coordination team (that's the city's hazy drug free zone replacement program that's not written down anywhere...).

Commissioner Randy Leonard was there. He said he thought I'd given him a hard time about opening the shelter. I said I was delighted with it, but that it's important for public figures to be held accountable. Like when they start programs that place people on lists for enhanced prosecution, they should make sure somebody actually writes the programs down, instead of simply growing misty-eyed about "giving people a chance."

I do think that the women's shelter is a good thing (75% of homeless women will be sexually assaulted within the first 24 hours on the street, so Lord knows they need somewhere safe to stay). But my pleasure in seeing the center open was despite the fact that Mike Kuykendall of the Portland Business Alliance--principle force behind the evil sit/lie ordinance--was there grinning broadly at the ribbon cutting, and that John Hren, the head of the downtown rent-a-cop firm Portland Patrol, Inc. was stood around taking photos. I guess I'm just uncomfortable with the language of chance-giving when it's accompanied by targeting homeless people for criminalization on a policy level, and when politicians grin and go along with it for the small town greater good. Call me a cosmopolitan stickler if you like.
ribboncutting.jpg
Still. Stephanie Dippel, who stayed at the old shelter for 158 days and is now working locally and staying at a downtown apartment, said she's thrilled with the new look. "It's like the Marriott compared to the old place," she said. Meanwhile Fay Schuyler, who manages the program, showed me around. "We managed to move the entire program in a day without interrupting services," she said, clearly thrilled to be in the new location.fayschuler.jpg
Good luck to the new women's shelter. Let's hope it survives the rent-jacking in the imminent gentrification of Old Town.

 

Commenting was not available when this article was originally published.

Comments (12) RSS

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1
The unasked question is: does the Salvation Army Women's Shelter openly discriminate against lesbian women as they discriminate against homosexual men at the Salvation Army ARC program?
Posted by J_Renaud on July 1, 2008 at 6:14 PM · Report
2
It shall not remain unasked for long.
Posted by Matt Davis on July 1, 2008 at 8:51 PM · Report
3
I'd like to know why the city continues to allow the concentration of all homeless services within one specific small block area. Services need to be evenly distributed around the city to allow for better access to those who need these services. I get the feeling that by confining services to one small designated area that city father's believe that they can hide how extensive the problem has become and how much it is growing.
Posted by charlespaugh on July 1, 2008 at 9:49 PM · Report
4
75% of homeless women will be sexually assaulted within the first 24 hours on the street

Seriously? Does that include verbal assault, like "hey baby, need me to keep you warm tonight?"
Posted by Amy J. Ruiz on July 1, 2008 at 10:25 PM · Report
5
Er...no. At least, not according to the Salvation Army director. And anecdotally, it's a statistic supported by what I've heard from homeless women not too shit scared to talk to me.
Posted by Matt Davis on July 2, 2008 at 8:11 AM · Report
6
I don't buy it. 75 percent over the course of a year, maybe (though that's jarringly different from what a study in Toronto just found, where "37 percent [of homeless women] have been physically assaulted in the past year. Twenty-one percent reported being sexually assaulted in the same time period.") I don't doubt it's rough out there.

But first night on the street?
Posted by Amy J. Ruiz on July 2, 2008 at 8:35 AM · Report
7
Kudos to the salvation army for their efforts... people can complain about the location (seriously?!? what other neighborhood would allow a shelter - yours?) and people can slam the salvation army for their morals (at least they hold their integrity intact) - but what are YOU doing for the homeless?
Posted by pdxbornmama on July 2, 2008 at 9:43 AM · Report
8
Speaking of gentrification, just thought I should let you know you should add Uwajimaya to that list in that link provided at the end there...

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1214882720212460.xml&coll=7
Posted by el cubano on July 2, 2008 at 10:35 AM · Report
9
Thanks, Leo. Uwajimaya is mentioned in the gentrification article.
Posted by Matt Davis on July 2, 2008 at 11:58 AM · Report
10
Thanks for asking.

How do I get a thumbstamp photo of my own? Is that really Matt Davis in that tiny tiny picture? Looks like some demon golf pro.
Posted by J_Renaud on July 2, 2008 at 12:46 PM · Report
11
Cheek.
Posted by Matt Davis on July 2, 2008 at 2:42 PM · Report
12
I have SUCH mixed feelings about Salvation Army. But this women's shelter is inherently a good thing.

And I also very much doubt the "75%" number. Individuals exaggerate, organizations exaggerate, governments exaggerate. We can all be liars when the need suits. Is it dangerous for women on the street? Of course it is. Do 75% get assualted their "first night out"? ummm...I think no.

Yet...I work with people who are homeless every damn day, and if I had a daughter or sister on the streets I would thank the Buddha that she had the S.A. women's shelter and day center to go to.

I know several of the women who run the place, and they rock. Hearts a mile wide.

It's a tough fucking life on the streets, peeps, and no matter HOW someone winds up there, they still deserve at least compassion, and safety. That's part of the unwritten contract of a civil society.
Posted by rabblevox on July 2, 2008 at 6:55 PM · Report

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