PORTLAND, Ore. — A "for sale" sign hangs outside a modest home in Southeast Portland. Across the street is a homeless camp where people struggle with their addictions to fentanyl.
Some Portlanders are selling their homes in an effort to get away from the dual crisis of drugs and homelessness. They say it's becoming more visible throughout parts of Southeast Portland.
"There’re camps on every corner and things have just gotten out of hand since COVID," said Susie, whose home has been on the market for three months. It’s located off Southeast 76th Avenue and Foster Road.
"Since June 1, there’s been a camp on my corner, so the showings have been canceled," Susie said. "Some don’t want to get out of their car or even come to the door."
Susie said she even dropped the price by $15,000.
"How do I feel? Sad. Sad for the whole city, sad for the neighborhoods, sad that this is going on and it feels like no one's even making a difference or doing anything," she said.
"I know how much she wants out of here. I know how long she’s been here. It’s time for her to go and she can't," said Susie’s daughter, Mandy, who's watched her report the camps through PDX Reporter, to no avail. "I feel like Portland has a responsibility to clean up, get their act together."
At the camp across the street is where Dustin stays. He's been homeless in Portland for five years and struggles with an addiction to fentanyl. He sat beside his dog and a pint of melted vanilla ice cream.
"I can understand, I guess, where they’re coming from," he said.
He sees how his camp effects the neighborhood.
"It makes me feel bad for her," he said of Susie not being able to sell her home.
His campsite has been posted for removal. Those who live in the neighborhood said the city won’t be able to address it until late July.
"Well, what is she supposed to do? She’s just supposed to sit it out until the end of July?" Mandy asked.
The city's latest data shows they've received nearly 3,000 new campsite reports in the week of June 12 to 18. They prioritize removing camps that pose the highest health and safety risks. This camp was not at the top of the list.
It's a timeline that nearby businesses have no patience for. Classic Auto Body on 75th Avenue and Foster had a break-in on Sunday.
"Took about 40 years worth of tools, which was over $200,000 worth of tools," said Shewbert, a mechanic at the auto shop.
It's hard to say who did it, but he believes it's people living in nearby homeless camps.
"It used to be a city everybody wanted to come to and now it's a city that everybody avoids," Shewbert said.
"I don't know that Portland will ever get back to what it once was," Susie said.
Starting next week, several rules targeting homeless camps go into effect, but those who live and work in these parts of Southeast Portland don't see how that’ll change things.