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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Town meeting set to discuss 'travelers' ... Council Corner: Ashland’s homeless aren't the problem ... City of Ashland backs Amigo Club efforts ... Town meeting set to discuss 'travelers' ... Council Corner: Ashland’s homeless aren't the problem ... City of Ashland backs Amigo Club efforts ... COUNCIL CORNER Council Corner: Ashland's homeless aren't the problem By Greg Lemhouse DailyTidings.com By Greg Lemhouse Posted Oct. 19, 2015 @ 2:10 pm Updated at 8:34 PM By Greg Lemhouse Posted Oct. 19, 2015 @ 2:10 pm Updated at 8:34 PM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> The City Council will be addressing issues involving downtown behavior at a series of meetings in the next month. Everyone has the right to feel safe, regardless of who they are, and every Ashland business should have the opportunity to succeed without others unduly interfering. All people in Ashland have the right to feel safe and free of harassment. Shoppers have a right to exit stores without expecting a confrontation. Businesses owners and workers have a right to earn a living without feeling threatened or harassed. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that my wife and daughter should be able to walk downtown without being called offensive names or have lewd suggestions thrown their way. I also believe that I should be able to take my leftovers home with me or even keep my shoes I am wearing (true story) without being threatened. As a council we have taken several reports from citizens and visitors alike complaining of harassment and threats. Unfortunately, it seems this year that the reported behavior is only getting more extreme and brazen. However, the behavior we are witnessing is not in large part perpetrated by Ashland’s homeless. It is the behavior of groups of young adults who are traveling and stop in our town to take in the beautiful surroundings and our generosity. They are not Ashlanders. They are not tourists. They are Travelers. Homeless Ashlanders are still Ashlanders. While their living circumstances may be nontraditional, in some cases they have been residents of our town much longer than most and have been part of the fabric of our community for years, contributing in different ways. Some have run for public office, led as activists on important causes, contributed to the public dialogue with their unique insight and have also stepped up to help their fellow Ashlanders when the need has arisen. They may be homeless, but they are as much Ashlanders as any of their fellow community members. In contrast, the Travelers we have endured contribute little to our community. They clog our downtown areas and storefronts throughout town demanding money and threatening anyone who cannot or chooses not to contribute. They are not artistic entrepreneurs who busk for a living, bringing an eclectic vibrancy to our city. The Travelers harass and intimidate with their behavior and they show disrespect of our laws with their public consumption of alcohol and marijuana. Unfortunately, the vast majority of this group only sows discord and negatively affects the livability of our town both in terms of safety and economics. Let me be clear: Addressing behavior issues has nothing to do with a person’s socioeconomic status, it has everything to do with personal safety, livability and how we treat others in our community. It is a reality that our social services, which are intended to help Ashland's homeless and impoverished, are stretched thin by the Travelers who avail themselves of these services and then simply move on when the time suits them. Unfortunately, Ashland’s homeless residents and those living below the poverty line do not have such a luxury. Just as the rest of the community, they are left behind to pick up the pieces and brace for when the Travelers return. All of us should be held to the same standards, whether we are enjoying art on First Friday or just traveling through, but as Ashlanders we must be clear and honest about what the problems are and resolute in addressing them by holding everyone equally accountable. We cannot shy away or be intimidated from confronting these problems and allow them to grow any further or we risk having them become even larger and more difficult to address. All one has to do is look to our neighbors in Eugene and Portland to see what happens if we choose to look the other way. Pretending there is not a problem and hoping it goes away is not an option for me. I choose to deal with it by finding a solution that protects our community and keeps our limited resources from being diverted from Ashlanders who need them the most. I invite all those interested in doing the same to join me in addressing the problems in an honest, fair, respectful and holistic way. Greg Lemhouse is a member of the Ashland City Council. By Greg Lemhouse DailyTidings.com By Greg Lemhouse Posted Oct. 19, 2015 @ 2:10 pm Updated at 8:34 PM » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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