For a reason shrouded in the mist of long ago, the City of Albany owns three lots in the same block as the Albany Helping Hands homeless shelter. The shelter has an idea of how the lots could serve a useful purpose, and it’s not to house people in ragtag tents.
One of the necessities Albany’s designated homeless camp needed was a source of potable water. It didn’t have one on Wednesday, but now it does, thanks to Helping Hands.
Last week I wanted to see if anything had changed since the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals rejected an Albany homeowner’s appeal from a city decision to abandon a short section of public street so the Helping Hands homeless shelter can expand.
Three members of the Albany City Council plus the mayor Wednesday pushed through a move to vacate or abandon a short section of Jefferson Street, an action the Helping Hands homeless shelter needs to expand.
People forced to camp in their cars because of homelessness are largely gone from the block of Ninth Avenue in Albany where the city has banned them. It’s not clear where they have gone, and an advocate’s plea for city council help regarding parking so far has generated no response.
Homeless people camping in their cars on Ninth Avenue between Jackson Street and Pacific Boulevard in Albany can still do so, but not for much longer. The neighbors and the city council want them gone.
Three city lots: Council wants an appraisal
The Albany City Council has taken the first step before deciding to dispose of three city-owned lots on Jackson Street and Ninth Avenue near the Helping Hands homeless shelter, which already owns most of that block.
Tags: Albany City Council, city lots, Helping Hands, homeless lots, homeless shelter, Pacific overpass, surplus city land, Van Vleet Meat