Portland woman slams mayor for scoffing at her concerns about homeless crisis
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A woman who says she moved to Portland, Oregon because of progressive values has accused the mayor of mocking her after confronting him about the city’s homelessness crisis.
During a virtual city council meeting on Wednesday, Gillian Rose denounced Portland’s way of dealing with its homeless population, saying the filthy encampments that dot the city are making residents’ lives miserable.
“You mustn’t allow this anymore,” said a visibly emotional Rose. “I’m angry and sad and I’m tired of it, and I’m so tired of politicians giving in to an awakened agenda that is nothing short of an epic failure.”
Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, chuckled audibly as he replied, “Thank you, you’ve made your point emphatically clear. Thank you for being there and sharing your perspective, we appreciate that.’
Portland resident Gillian Rose accused Mayor Ted Wheeler of mocking her after criticizing the city’s handling of its homeless population
A homeless camp was spotted on a residential street in Portland earlier this year
After the meeting, Rose said Wheeler had laughed at her concerns, saying: KOIN TV: ‘when he laughed, it kind of proved my point.’
She added “it was actually insulting and painful to hear.”
A spokesperson for Wheeler did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com on Saturday.
In her remarks at Wednesday’s council meeting, Rose spoke passionately about the stark impact Portland’s prolific homeless population is having on the quality of life.
She said she moved from the East Coast to the city four years ago because she embraced leftist values.
“I moved here hoping to be part of a progressive city where it seemed like the leaders cared about social issues – what happened here is not progressivism,” she said.
“A lot of people living on the streets fill them with garbage and their own feces while openly taking drugs — it’s not progressive, it’s insane and unacceptable,” Rose added.
“Portland has become the laughing stock of the country, really,” she told city leaders.
“Portland has become the laughing stock of the country, really,” Rose told city leaders during public remarks at a council meeting on Wednesday.
Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, chuckled audibly as he replied, ‘thank you, you’ve made your point emphatically clear’
Rose told how Powell Boulevard had become clogged with tents and trash, and described the area as an “open drug market.”
She said a homeless man had waved wildly at her partner on Spring Water Trail while they were cycling.
“If you’re considering wearing a gun or a bear mace while cycling, I think something is very wrong,” she said.
Rose told how her friend, a real estate agent, lost a deal because a homeless camp was built in front of a house his clients were about to buy, resulting in the deal being rejected.
She said a neighbor, an occupational therapist at Legacy Emmanuel Medical Center, treated mostly homeless people who had infections from drug use or burns from accidentally setting themselves on fire.
“Please stop wasting our money and destroying our beautiful city and please start being leaders,” the frustrated resident concluded.
A photo shows encampments blocking sidewalks next to the Pacific Northwest College of Arts at SW Broadway and Hoyt Street
Tents crowd the sidewalk littered with trash from homeless communities setting up camp in areas scattered from downtown Portland, now through the suburbs
Rose told KOIN she believes the root of the homeless problem is clearly untreated drug addiction, and that until city leaders recognize and address the root of the problem, it will persist.
“They blame unaffordable housing,” Rose said. “That’s part of it, but it also makes it possible, and they don’t want to give up that story.”
Portland has experienced an explosion in its exposed population in recent years, starting with the economic downturn during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In January, a survey found that 5,228 people in Multnomah County were homeless, including 3,057 who were sleeping on the streets.
Wheeler has faced increasing criticism over the issue and has sought to address areas where street camping is allowed.
Under an emergency order, Wheeler banned encampments near dangerous roads or the city-sanctioned small home villages established to solve the problem.
Tents are set up along a residential street in Portland, with gear scattered across
In August, the order expanded to ban sidewalk tents on major walking routes to the city’s schools.
But many Portland residents say they’ve seen little change and bounce back quickly after each cleanup.
Portland residents are also tired of the rise in violent crime in the city, which registered a record 90 homicides, breaking the previous record of 66, set three decades ago.
So far this year, Portland is about on pace to match last year’s murder record.
As of this week, the city has recorded 68 homicides in 2022, nearly equal to the 69 homicides recorded at the same point last year, according to police data.