SEASIDE, Ore. — From a distance, the coastal city of Seaside is a beautiful place to live and visit. On the ground, it faces many of the same problems as bigger cities, including homelessness and affordable housing.
For more than a year, Seaside leaders have been working on ways to manage its homeless crisis. This week, they voted to approve an ordinance setting up a system for homeless camping in vehicles and tents, with different rules for public and private property.
As it stands, there are unsanctioned camps throughout the city, the biggest and most obvious being at 12th Avenue and Necanicum Drive. It's a city-owned lot with roughly 20 cars, vans, campers and RVs. It's been there for more than a year, just three doors down from Russ Mead's home.
“It went from this is the idyllic place where we decided to retire, to literally we're living in a slum," Mead said as he looked over the camp. "I mean, if you look up the meaning of a slum, this is it."
People and problems do come and go from the location, although some long-term campers said they've tried to be good neighbors.
“I just pretty much take care of people that need help, you know, do what I can. Somebody’s hungry, I make them a sandwich,” said Robert Ireland.
Ireland is the unofficial mayor of the camp. The ordinance, as approved, will not allow something this big.
“It's not really fair,” said Ireland. “I mean I see both sides of it — people who've put a half-million dollars into their house don't want to look at a bunch of tents and trailers, but you know if there was a better lot we would go to it.”
The city has chosen a half dozen public streets in Seaside, some of which are more removed from houses than others, where temporary permits up to three weeks will be required, vehicles must be registered and camping is only allowed from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
“With the city initiative, a lot of us can't afford to do a daily move,” said Jason Seymour. Seymour has lived in Seaside for 20 years, and he works at the local Goodwill. He is only recently homeless, staying in the camp for the past three months.
"I lost my other half, so I don't have the second income and stability to get into an apartment again, although I am saving for that,” said Seymour.
A core problem in Seaside is a lack of affordable housing. The vacation town is full of expensive homes and short-term rentals.
Colleen Brady lives and works in Seaside, cleaning vacation rentals that she says rent for $400 to $500 per night. The homeless camp on Necanicum bothers her.
“I'm very frustrated. I feel sorry for them. I understand they have a thing, but there's got to be another alternative than this,” said Brady.
The frustration got intense at times at the Seaside City Council meeting this week. Councilmembers heard an earful, a majority of it from people against setting rules that allow regulated camping in the city.
"We will have more hard drugs like heroin and meth, more unregistered RVs on our streets and more tents back in the Mill Pond area than ever before," said Bruce Rosebrock of Seaside, during the public comment period before the vote.
Of course, the camping is already going on. Two months ago, Mayor Jay Barber and City Councilor Tita Montero spoke with KGW about the city's year-long effort to come up with solutions, which involved multiple community forums, workshops and other community outreach activities.
At that time, there was one solution already in place: a new warming shelter that serves as a homeless resource center year-round, run by local nonprofits.
Montero led much of the work to develop a vision and plan to address homelessness. Ironically, she was one of two "no" votes for the ordinance, which she felt not all councilors fully understood. She also expressed frustration that the council was approving an ordinance that needed more work and changes.
“I'm going to ask that if there are things that we need to fix in this amendment, that we fix it as fast as we put this ordinance through," Montero said during the meeting. "I am very angry about this."
The city councilor later released a statement saying in part, “I will now work with my fellow councilors amending the ordinance to solidify meaning, define intent and improve the ordinance for the benefit of all who are living in Seaside.”
Montero was at the Necanicum and 12th camp the next day, explaining to people where things stood, including their need to move, likely in about a month.
That includes Richard Sanders, recently unemployed and disabled. He said he sold his car so he could buy a van for himself and his dog to live in. Now he's part of the Seaside homeless community.
“I say us, it feels weird saying us, because there's not an us, we're people,” said Sanders with a sigh.
Like everyone, Sanders has his own story, and this is a tough chapter. He is frustrated.
“But you know what, deal with it, people. Either you want to step up and be part of the solution or you're part of the problem really, that's what it is,” said Sanders.
In Seaside and other communities, the homeless crisis is a crisis for all concerned.
"It's not what I want, it's not what anybody wants, and it shouldn't be what the folks here want," said Mead. “Nobody wants to live in a place with no power and no water, no sewage; they want something different. We all want something different. This is wrong and it is failing.”
Some councilors voted to approve with the understanding that more work amending the ordinance is needed to improve it — but they argued the current version is a start, which gives law enforcement guidelines to enforce homeless camping rules in the city.