Have you heard about the proposed Oregon City HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER?

There is a proposal for a HOMELESS SERVICES & TREATMENT CENTER in Downtown Oregon City. The proposal is to have this Navigation Center in the former Miles Fiberglass Building at 1516 Main Street in Oregon City.

The Downtown District is in the heart of Oregon City and is filled with family friendly shops, restaurants and is a place where the residents of Oregon City come to connect with friends, loved ones and business associates.

Many Oregon City Business Owners & Residents are very concerned about placement of the proposed Navigation Center in Oregon City and especially at this location because of the potential negative impacts to the small businesses in the vicinity, the residents that live in Oregon City, as well as to those who visit this area.

Our concerns about the Homeless Navigation Center include the following issues:

•   It would attract people who are drug users, resulting in open drug use and drug trafficking

•   It would attract people who are likely to engage in criminal activities including burglary, theft and robbery

•   It would result in more property vandalism, damage and litter and garbage
•   It would result in a general sense of insecurity to a thriving business district and surrounding residential areas.

As it is very evident in the nearby city of Portland, homeless services locations and homeless shelters are often surrounded with campers, drug users, human feces, garbage and other nuisances. There is a much higher prevalence of mental illness and rampant drug use among the homeless population which can often lead to negative and extremely violent interactions as has been well documented in recent media coverage.

The homeless people that come to Oregon City to use the proposed Navigation Center will have no place to live once they arrive, so they will most likely join the existing homeless encampments around our city.

Opening a Homeless Navigation Center in this location would inflict damage the small businesses that have already survived many recent setbacks. Residents, visitors, current and new customers will be less inclined to frequent the Downtown District locations due to new unsafe and unsanitary conditions should this Homeless Navigation Center be approved. This action could result in many small businesses being forced to close their doors permanently.

Why this petition matters

Over the past several years, the Downtown Oregon City Business District has been undergoing a revitalization as a part of the Oregon City Urban Renewal area. Many taxpayers, investors, business owners, and community members have been working hard to revitalize and beautify the District.

The undersigned residents, taxpayers and business owners of Oregon City vehemently OPPOSE the repurposing of the Miles Fiberglass Building at 1516 Main Street in Oregon City in the downtown retail, restaurant and residential district INTO A HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER. The Miles Fiberglass Building currently resides in Oregon City’s Downtown retail, restaurant and residential district (Downtown District).

For the reasons noted above, we demand that any permits for this project be denied and that a more suitable location for a Homeless Navigation Center be found, away from Oregon City residential and business districts.

Thank you for your consideration of this urgent matter. Please sign our petition.

Sincerely,

Oregon City Business Owners & Residents