Ashland City Council - October 17, 2023 re: Ashland "Resource Center"
Channel: Unhoused in Ashland Oregon
Date: 23/10/2023

ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL
BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Council Chambers, 1175 E Main Street
  
View on Channel 9 or Channels 180 and 181 (Charter Communications)
or live stream via rvtv.sou.edu select RVTV Prime.

https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/w9sPsSE7vna3XTN_39bs1rEXjVWF0kfP/media/830755?fullscreen=false&showtabssearch=true&show_title_description_summary=true&autostart=true&captions_view=t

ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS

    Contract with OHRA for State Emergency Order Homeless Shelter Operations
https://www.ashland.or.us/SIB/files/2023%2D10%2D17_CC_Emergency_Order_Shelter_Contract.pdf
"The City and OHRA have worked together to ensure 71 days of 24/7 emergency order shelter with 30 beds at the 2200 Ashland Street location.... Through this contract with OHRA 30 low barrier
shelter beds can be provided until January 10, 2024"
---- After January 10th?? There are no plans for a permanent shelter, emergency shelter or winter shelter. People may still be kicked out.
---- There are no permanent plans for the Night Lawn, dubbed as a "free camping site" by the media, where the unhoused face multiple fines by officers for not "moving fast enough" off the lawn in the mornings.

    Resolution 2023-25 – A Resolution to Approve Transitional Housing Accommodations 
https://www.ashland.or.us/SIB/files/2023%2D10%2D17_CC_Transitional_Housing_Accommodation_RESO.pdf
"(2) Transitional housing accommodations are intended to be used by individuals or families
on a limited basis for seasonal, emergency or transitional housing purposes and may include
yurts, huts, cabins, fabric structures, tents and similar accommodations, as well as areas in
parking lots or facilities for individuals or families to reside overnight in a motor vehicle, without
regard to whether the motor vehicle was designed for use as temporary living quarters."

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01:21:52

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01:21:52
    Hello, my name is JD Barons.

01:21:54
    I reside in Ashland 

News from the Night Lawn ongoing

01:21:59
    since July,

01:22:00
    Lacey Maverick McCoy has received more citations from McClennan for, excuse me,

01:22:05
    from McClennan for not moving fast enough off the night lawn right over here in

01:22:10
    the mornings. Note that Griz,

01:22:12
    the man who pepper sprayed Lacey on the night lawn received no citations for his

01:22:16
    behavior. He is still allowed on the night law -- very unequal treatment.

01:22:21
    Lacey's court date for all these citations is in November.

01:22:24
    She's been on the night lawn since July with her three kids -- with over 50

01:22:29
    citations so far. In Ashland's news and review, sneak preview,

01:22:34
    we see that the shelter plan for the unhoused folks is only a resource center.

01:22:39
    Only 30 are allowed and they must apply with OHRA,

01:22:42
    which still doesn't allow women and children at their current location for their

01:22:46
    shelters and other services -- even women surviving domestic violence.

01:22:50
    The concern is that OHRA will exclude vulnerable folks who need

01:22:55
    services but are prohibited from being served. Those with children,

01:22:59
    those with emotional support animals,

01:23:01
    those who prefer not to have constant police presence.

01:23:05
    Editor Hayden's interview with Mayor Graham States: limited to only 30

01:23:10
    people who pass a background check. You must be a member of the facility.

01:23:14
    You can't show up at night looking for a bed. This is not an emergency shelter.

01:23:19
    There is still no permanent plan for a winter or emergency shelter in Ashland.

01:23:24
    Not once has anyone from the night lawn been asked about what shelter should be

01:23:29
    provided. There has been no news coverage of the night lawn so far.

01:23:33
    The public remains in the dark about the night lawn as it is hidden from public

01:23:37
    view most of the time, which was the intent.

01:23:40
    Hayden's scathing article against the unhoused shows people's negative attitudes

01:23:45
    about a situation most people can't help.