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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels December 10, 2004 Homeless group lays groundwork By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings If solving the homeless problem in Ashland is akin to building a house, the Ashland Homeless Alliance has just started outlining the blueprints of the structure. Although reports in November indicated the organization, which includes people who live in houses and who live outside, was investigating sites where a homeless camp or shelter could be established, the group felt that reviewing locations was premature. "We needed to pull back and create a decision tree before we announce that list any farther," Ashland city councilor and AHA member Cate Hartzell said. "The initial burst of energy (in November) led some people who think we were just going to do it right away." In a meeting Thursday evening, AHA members identified goals, adopted a working mission statement, assigned someone to look into writing the bylaws to establish a non-profit organization and set up a longer strategic planning session. "The idea of a transitional facility, whether it's an open-air camp or a shelter, that's a long-term process," Hartzell said. Rumors that a list of seven or eight sites was in circulation were not false, but the alliance has decided to shelve the list for the time being while people determine the best way to help the Ashland homeless community before pushing ahead to the construction phase. "It's a very big population," Hartzell said, adding that the homeless community is a very diverse group with varying needs and wants. South Valley Community Human Services in Ashland pegs the Ashland-Talent homeless population at around 450 people. Another approach While the AHA has stepped back to organize, a more informal group - including homeless people and others concerned about the issue - has concentrated on two sites for an Ashland homeless village. "I can tell you right off the top, we're focusing one or two sites," said Randy Dollinger, a homeless spokesperson in Ashland. The group is eyeing one of the old rock quarries above Lithia Park and the vacant lots along the railroad tracks that are an old Superfund site. Of the sites on the AHA list, Dollinger said, "I'm thinking the rest of them have too many neighbors." The group hopes to create an outdoor homeless camp that treads lightly on the Earth by using solar energy, rainwater, composting methods and other techniques to support the community. The ideal camp would be modeled after Dignity Village in Portland. "I see this as a self-regulating entity," said Mardy Carson, a landlady in Ashland associated with the group. "It's not going to be anything other than positive as a model to how people can create their own environment." The group, which considers itself an outreach of AHA, identified the quarry site at the top of Granite Street as its ideal location for a camp because it's somewhat removed from town. The quarry is about a 25-minute walk, or 1 1/2 miles, from the Plaza, out-of-sight and flat. "There are so many people ready to get on board with this," Dollinger said. "But it's a pipe dream at this point." According to Hartzell, the quarry site may be unrealistic because of fire and sanitation issues. "I don't anticipate that happening," Hartzell said, regarding the quarry. The alliance will continue to meet and work toward a solution to the homeless problem. In the mean time, AHA is looking into the possibility of creating a drop-in shelter that would be open if, for example, the temperature dropped below 25 degrees at night. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Isotoner Slippers Dsw Shoes Ciara Lyrics & Pictures libor rate Radiotelephone Communication Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Calendar lil jon eastside boyz Citibank Student Loans Acs Loan Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems The game rapper Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams