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1 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 Gap fire eclipses 17,500 acres but is slowed by cooler, moist marine air ... Local wineries earn gold ... Voter information for Jackson County ... Gap fire eclipses 17,500 acres but is slowed by cooler, moist marine air ... Local wineries earn gold ... Voter information for Jackson County ... OUR VIEW Our View: Signs of progress Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Sep. 2, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Sep. 2, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News As is so often the case with the dilemma of homelessness, there is some positive news to report, but the ultimate solution seems as elusive as ever. Last summer, the Ashland community was in turmoil over disruptive behavior by a specific subset of homeless people congregating on downtown sidewalks at the height of the tourist season. Groups of young people known as "travelers" were accosting passersby, aggressively panhandling and blocking sidewalks. Tourists in town for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival complained, and city residents, too, reported being verbally harassed by young people demanding food or money. The City Council responded with a series of ordinances restricting specific behaviors and allowing police to cite violators. At the same time, new outreach efforts were made to provide support to the homeless, including through the Ashland Culture of Peace Commission, Wellness for Everyone and a Jackson County mental health worker assigned to assist police. The Police Department also announced a new policy that allows people with substance abuse problems to get help without fear of arrest. Whether those measures helped is unclear — it's tough to quantify — but the Ashland Chamber of Commerce reports downtown merchants are generally happy with the atmosphere this summer. Speaking of atmosphere, the outdoor smoking ban gets praise for improving air quality on the street. Homeless advocates say the basic need for more housing isn't being addressed. Certainly more needs to be done. But behaviors that caused problems last year have decreased, that's a good thing. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Sep. 2, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » 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. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events 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. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501