"What a long strange trip its been."
I'm going to have to roll over into the next month my income as the donations have far exceeded my expenses.
I actually can go into a purveyors establishment and order something without wondering what I'm going to do without in order to absorb the expense.
I'm still wearing the scarlet H of homelessness but now instead of having to seek shelter in places unsuitable for human habitation and putting myself at risk for assault and theft and the other vulnerabilities existant in such a living situation I can seek a room.
That will be my next step to find a more permanent base. It seems the voice of the homeless can be heard through my writing. So that is what I'll try and focus upon.
The biggest problem I see besides the obvious lack of shelter beds and affordable safe housing, and in my experience HUD housing is not safe as both times I've reported harassment the harassment intensified instead of was adressed, is the bathroom issue.
Not only do I believe having a sanitary place to use the toilet in a nation with abundant indoor plumbing I firmly believe if a purveyor sells food and drink for immediate consumption they should have their restrooms available for public use. Not after purchase.
In Seattle I noticed there were frequently port-o-johns at many bus stops and at all stations. They were unlocked and I availed myself of those facilities when I could. Here in Portland such restrooms are reserved for drivers. Now obviously drivers need to go to. But so do the toddlers on transit being potty trained and all others. Now TriMet claims that public facilities end up needing frequent cleanings. But as it stands now elevators, nooks, and even the shelters themselves are being used as restrooms by the desperate, creating biological hazards all riders must suffer through. And the messes have to be cleaned from surfaces not designed for such impacts. Not really cost effective in my mind. And it is not like there is a lack of low skilled labor to clean bathrooms. I'm wondering what the cost effectiveness of a crew with pressure cleaning devices compares to having restroom attendants.
It is not only unhealthy for restrooms not to be a human right on a social scale but as an individual the health risks of retaining waste is also quite negative.
It degenerates the entire city, and in Portland's case is an ecological hazard to our already impacted runoff system, for the poor and homeless to have to use public places to void wastes. It also provides an excuse for the police to harass the homeless with violations of ordanaces that would make sense in a civilized country. It needs to stop.
If you have a junkie problem then a key provided without purchase can be temporarily permitted, but never long term, and only after repeated ambulance hauls have occurred.
But this making people have to search from place to place to pee until their eyes water is just cruel.
Thank you so much Daily Kos. You guys came through.
8:21 PM PT: I found a book by Erick Lyle today I'll try and get into and see if I can use it in a review, is being able to find additional citation to add to my thesis, of one develops. "On the Lower Frequencies: A Secret History of the City"
I also want to see if I can speak with the author. But publication is out of Berkeley so he could be anywhere.