Here’s part of Albany’s designated homeless camp site at Ninth and Jackson on Wednesday afternoon, July 24, 2024.
One year ago, trying to comply with state law, Albany set up a designated homeless camping site on two city-owned lots near Ninth Avenue and Jackson Street and called it Marvin’s Garden. The place has turned into a big trouble spot, and city officials are trying to figure out what to do next.
In the preamble of a proposed ordinance amending camping regulations, the city calls Marvin’s Garden “a space riddled with criminal activity and drug use.”
A representative of the Helping Hands Homeless Shelter told the council Monday that shelter workers cannot go to Marvin’s Garden for fear of stepping on drug users’ discarded needles. Also, there’s been an outbreak of lice and bedbugs.
Jerry Drum of the Albany police said officers responded to the camp site 22 times for criminal reports since July 1. (He said this on July 22.) And the department’s community service officers go there daily for various reasons, including to help clean up.
On July 15, Drum told the council, someone living at the camp site punched an officer in the face, causing a concussion.
The council heard all this while considering four new ordinances.
On Wednesday, members held up until the next meeting one of the measures, intended to amend regulations on camping on public property. It would make camping on public property unlawful if a person has, could obtain or has refused “access to reasonable alternate shelter.”
Councilwoman Jackie Montague and others were concerned that what’s “reasonable” would differ for different persons.
The other proposals passed Wednesday. One deals with turning unused buildings into temporary emergency shelters, another with “emergency transitional housing, and the third with converting emergency shelters into affordable housing.
I asked City Manager Peter Troedsson if any of this was aimed at closing Marvin’s Garden.
And here’s a wider shot of the camping site taken on my bike ride on Wednesday. The Pacific Boulevard viaduct is in the background.
There really needs to be a better solution to homelessness in this country. Better resources and housing cost $, but so does “cleaning up” areas like this.
I can’t imagine the residents next to these camps feel safe either.
this story is why NIMBY is persistent. No mention of arrests. Officer should require residents to clean their mess up in his presence or go to jail.
Don’t know what to do about homeless problem; don’t know what to say. Well, actually can say several things….Pres. Reagan starting the ball rolling on closing most of our mental hospitals, crime in the form of drug sales, inequality with only the rich guaranteed to be able to live comfortably…those statements can all be made about this country. But, what to do about it? Can only think of this: Don’t vote for Trump.
Yeah, right. Vote for Chuckles and watch things not stay the same, but get EXTREMELY worse. What we’re seeing is the consequences of the Democratic Party, top to bottom.
Alternatively, if you want something to actually be done about it, vote for Trump.
Ha. That habitual liar?! Oldest candidate ever! C’mon you recall the sheer madness of his 4 years. Not a chance.
Made no sense and vote: TRUMP ALL THE WAY
TRUMP WILL FIX ALL THIS, AND BY THE WAY, CITY KNEW THIS MB WOULD BE A PROBLEM!! SUPREME COURT DECISION SHOULD GET GET RID OF THIS MESS. AMEN
Drove past Linn County Jail yesterday, and as I went under the over pass along the tracks a guy stumbled into the street, in front of me. I stopped in time, but He flipped off and started cussing. Then he fell down. Put my flashers on got out to help him up. He said he was sorry, for yelling at me. Then ask for money, told him I don’t carry cash. But I’ll feed you, no I need some dope. You can’t help ppl if they won’t help themselves. I Know, because I was an Alcoholic & Drug Addict for over 50 yrs. The tent camps around the city, with no rules or supervision, is making things Worse.
The city does not care what happens at the shelter or the camp. Everyone just keeps shoveling money to maintain people who are dysfunctional. People living in a shelter or camp for months/years is just digging them a hole that they cannot get out of. Real help and permanent homes is the only way to dig them out. I know personally that living in the shelter is not helping anyone. It is wallowing in your misery and has no future. Keeping people down by helping them hurt themselves solves nothing. Emergency and transitional housing should be very short term. A fresh start cannot happen by being in the same old life style and people who feed off of your continued hopelessness.
Vote 3rd party. The curtain has been pulled back, we are a UNIPARTY SYSTEM and el herring is a minon for the cause.
I have found myself propertyless rather than homeless. I live in my van. I have all the major necessities, bathroom, shower, bed, stove and frig. It’s my own studio apt on wheels. Did I ever think I’d be living this way I ask you. No, not now not ever. But because of the covid epidemic and the economy sky rocketing, my Social Security isn’t enough to pay a month’s rent on a studio or a 1bdrm. My name came to the top of the list for housing and I couldn’t even find a place for what the government allowed for me, so I lost my housing. I have raised my children, step children and 3 of my grandchildren and now I find myself where I can’t even do what a grandmother hopes to do, and that’s cook clean and spoil them. There are homeless people I have met that don’t want the responsibility of having their own home, that love living on the streets. Then you have the homeless ones that have tried everything but our society has already passed judgment on them and is unwilling to help. And then you have the ones like me, the elders who want a home to call theirs but can’t afford it on their income. Experiencing both sides, there are a few ideas I believe would work but nowhere to voice them and when it’s all said and done no money to fund them. What I see now, there is more money going out on what control you don’t have instead on taking back control and starting new. No one can help everyone and those who don’t want help, well you offer and then go on to the ones who do. There are lot of homeless people that do still have respect and morals, so just because you come across one bad seed doesn’t always mean they are all bad seeds. The drug issues will always be there no matter how hard everyone tries to end it. You get one drug uncontrol, then out comes a new one… Then there are the mentally challenged people. I have a mentally disabled son who is 43, and drugs have taken over his life. He never felt like he could make friends, so of course doing drugs he thought he was making friends. After being beat 2 separate times by 2 men, each time with a baseball bat and left for dead, you’d think he’d quit. “No mom, they are my friends.” Who’s to blame? Well, everyone has their own opinion on that one, it’s like the old saying: Oinions are like a** holes, everyone got one.
Thank you for letting me rant. Just and old lady’s opinion.
Thank you for your beautiful share about this very complex issue. I have a deep respect for nomads like yourself. When People complain about the challenges of our homeless population, I always want to think, what is your solution? Way too much judgment, not nearly enough effort to understand, I hope everyone on Hasso’s wonderful site read your post
You are doing well with what you have and are to be commended. You have it right…. this country doesn’t do right by the poor and downtrodden. “The rich get richer; the poor get poorer,” as the old saying goes. Thanks for writing. Good luck to you.
I hear you Jane, I have Section 8 housing and one bedroom units are hard to find in Albany. I wish that the Housing Authority would consider allowing 2 Senior Citizens to share a 2 bedroom unit without penalties for combined income. There would be less senior citizens and women on our streets. It’s a simple solution to a complex problem.
I agree. Our government has no common sense and basically are stupid sometimes.
Your idea would help a lot. Before winter maybe look on Craigslist for room for rent.
Ms. Jane Doe, Thank you for raising your children and grandchildren. I wish the city of Albany and the rest of the U.S. would help moms like you before you were at this place in life. My mom struggled to keep a roof over her head (she did lose her home that she helped build with her own 2 hands while taking care of 4 young children) and even eat due to the low amount of Social Security she received because she was the wife of the wage earner. She received only half of what my father earned. So I know your reality well. Please keep reaching out to programs to seek help. Not everyone labels people and some do see you for who you are a loving mom, grandmother and a strong person who made the best with what she didn’t have.
Jane Doe:
You’ve gotten to the heart of the problem. There would be some resources to help people in your situation if we didn’t spend it all on people who don’t want the help. Our approach is out of balance.
3 rent increases, cost of groceries, the power bill, gasoline, the cost of everything has increased dramatically. …and i should not vote for trump?? because of the homeless situation? $2.18 for a head of lettuce at walmart. tips getting taxed. we have a number of underage girls molested and or killed by migrants, how about that 12 yr old?? we were suppose to forget about that. electric cars, ya cant bump start them, jump start them, or take a gallon of gas to them. ya gotta tow them. they will be parked all over in fields, behind barns, etc. in 5 years. mark my words on that. they wont be worth towing. the afganistan blunder that cost us 13? american lives. and budweiser. one ad by a transexual person cost budweiser BILLIONS of dollars. and bud light no longer americas number one beer.
…and i should not vote for trump because of the homeless situation???
I have a friend who is homeless and likes it that way. He calls Marvin’s Garden a concentration camp. The tents are too close together etc. He gets a couple hundred dollars in food stamps, though not called that now. He gets money from CSC for propane for heat and cooking. When he needs extra money he checks around to see if anyone needs some help for his extra money. I give him some work and also find clothes and shoes he might be able to use. He doesn’t like to be around drug users, and as far as I know he doesn’t use drugs.
Trouble at tent city? What a shock (sarcasm).
In Albany, a household is considered low income if its annual gross income is 60% or less of the state median income by household size.
For example, in 2024, a household of one would qualify if their annual income is $33,426.96 or less, or $2,605.50 per month.
$2605.50.
Can anybody in Albany live in anything other than “tent city” for this amount?
The city thinks its possible. They offer a credit for PART of your water use (up to four units).
The fact you can’t even pay your rent is irrelevant. The city, like a parent, GIVES you a credit on your water bill. YOUR WATER BILL…with all the “fees”/taxes that no voter approved! ???
So please, please re-elect your Mayor and city council members given their love and concern for “low income” single wage earners.
In onomatopoeic words….Baa….Baaa….Baaa…..now vote for me….vote for me….
It is plain and simple people need a place to live. Many people could have avoided homelessness by home retention such as help when disabled or sick, loss of income due to death of wage earner and help with home repairs. Individuals trying to aid people is very limited. Accessing all the needed help is beyond the ability of one person. Maintaining people in a homeless state has become a huge money maker. Many laws and safety requirements are waived for many nonprofits in an effort to make it more profitable. Most of the money donated for nonprofits is used for administration costs rather than actual aid for the people in need. These temporary fixes should get less money than projects that are creating real solutions such as permanent housing. The combination of home retention, affordable studio apartments and houses should receive the most funds then medical and mental health. No organizations should be paid to keep people in a homeless state for long periods of time. Why help someone find a home when you keep getting funds to keep them homeless? Making shelters bigger or more of them is a waste of funds that should go for real aid that will end people suffering from hopelessness not prolong it.
People and this issue reminds me of wildlife and human interactions in YNP. People are stupid and know the solution but fail to heed common sense. Common sense for this problem is very simple… Don’t Feed the Bears.