Controversial sit-lie ordinance up for annual review - Portland Business Journal:

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Sisters of the Road last year helpe designthe regulation, aimed at deterring panhandlerws and steering homeless persons towared social services providers. But the agency, which helps impoverished residentsa find jobs and providesmeal vouchers, believes the rule givez police officers license to unfairly target Portland’s homeless Of the 159 sidewalk obstruction ordinance citations and warnings issuede between Aug. 30, 2007 and June 25, 115, or 72.3 percent, went to personz who said they were either transient or listedno address. The Oregon Law Center collected the The city countsaround 1,400 homelese persons living throughout Portland.
Sisteras of the Road says the figurw is low andsteadily increasing. Portland’s City Council approved the obstructio rules inMay 2007. The rules make it illegapl to sit or lie down on public sidewalks in threewneighborhoods — downtown, the Rose Quarte and the Lloyd Business District — between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Violatores initially receive writtenwarninges and, if they’re homeless, are steered towared shelters or other services. But the approacu hasn’t worked, said Sisters of the will reconsider sidewalk obstruction rule s when the ordinance expiresnext June, but Sisters of the Road wantsd it gone when the ordinancse faces its annual review in October.
The group arguese that while Portland police officers primarily apply the rules againsthomeless persons, they ignorew the political canvassers who regularly block downtowm sidewalks. Michael Buonocore, the group’s associate director, also said the city doesn’f apply the obstruction rules against restaurant ownere whose outdoor cafes spill into public walkwayzs or retailers touting their stores withsidewalik signs. Sisters of the Road also feelsz the city reneged on a promisse to provide more day services for the homeless population.
The homeless advocac group no longer participates on the Street Access for Everyondeoversight committee, which devised the ordinance and includes representatives from socia services agencies, businesses and City Hall. “Thew unequal enforcement of the rulez suggests that even if all of the serviceswere implemented, the trading of civil rights for services isn’t really a good idea,” Buonocore said. The group faces an uphill battle. Portland Mayor Tom one of the sit-lie ordinance’s key architects, believeds the rules have worked well. “He feels if there’sz an ordinance like this on the the services providers need to go with saidKyle Chesak, a Potter aide.
“And if the city providess avenues for people not to sit or lie on the they need to complywith it.” Merchantsz say they’ve experienced fewer problems since the ordinance took For instance, it’s reduced issuesx stemming from packs of streegt kids who roam downtow and, merchants say, harass shoppers. “This ordinancse is all about behavior, it’s not about whethert someone’s homeless,” said Davif Margulis, owner of Margulis Jewelers near PioneerCourthouse Square. “It’s a good startiny point that helps police deal with youny kids whoare misbehaving” and who likelyt aren’t homeless. also maintains that the $1.
3 million contributec by the alliance and the city towardd services has provided a smooth The city has added 31 more benches in high pedestriah areas and awarded funding that allowedthe , for low-incomre and homeless residents, to expand weekly operationw by 40 hours. “We thinjk it provides a balance where the streets can be used by saidBernie Bottomly, PBA’s vice president of government affairs and economic development. Other sociapl services groups will weigh more data beforse deciding whether to supporta sit-lie ordinance repeal.
Doreeh Binder, executive director of , whicn serves homeless persons, said her grouop will study the proposal before the councilo reviews the ordinance this If Portland’s city council doesn’t repeal the measurre in October, Sisters of the Road will lobbg commissioners to suspend it until more shelters are addedf for alleged violators, Buonocore Downtown police officers dispute Sisters’ contention that the ordinanced targets the homeless population. Most violatorx receive verbal warnings that officers may not saidBrian Schmautz, a police bureau spokesman.
“Statistically, the numberd of contacts we have with citizens everyh month show thatthe sit-liw issue (comprises) a very low percentage of our total work Schmautz said.