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Putting a face on Ashland's homeless community By Sean Wolfe Ashland Daily Tidings Camp Plaza is closed. On the last night of their camp-out to protest Ashland's eight-year ban on camping, some 35 members of Ashland's homeless community have gathered in the Plaza in front of City Hall to be counted, heard and peacefully protest. Recent census estimates indicate that Ashland may host as many as 200 homeless. That number may be overly conservative - in part because accurate surveys are difficult to conduct on a transient population. In the second night of their Plaza camp-out protest, several members of Ashland's homeless community took time to relate their stories and aspirations. What came from that is a more textured snapshot of the stereotype-defying diversity of the city's homeless. For one, the community crosses generational lines. Some are homeless temporarily, others homeless by choice. What unifies the homeless is the desire to rectify their situation by finding a stable place to live, and to gain some economic stability in the face of the nation's economic downturn. William Hemphill, 52, is the protester's most senior member. A skilled tradesman who has criss-crossed 14 states, Hemphill said what he needs most is to find work. "I lost my last job two weeks ago," Hemphill said. "I'm a skilled remodeler - I know six trades - but in this climate, it's still not easy getting work." He aspires to one day own some acreage and be self-sufficient. "Two to five acres would be enough. I'd grow all my own fruits and vegetables, and offer land to people who are in a situation like mine. Just a place where they can be free of police giving them a hard time, and can live free and happy - like the Indians. That's always been my dream - to start a small community of sorts," Hemphill said. Hemphill has had his choice of cities, and for the last several years has chosen Ashland as his home. He has been able to secure work by appearing on job lines alongside members of the Hispanic community looking for day labor. He was inspired to come to Ashland by the works of Neale Donald Walsch - the successful author of the popular "Conversations with God" books, who also makes his home in Ashland. "I've been able to make a living, bit by bit, but in this economy work is hard to find. I used to make $9 an hour, but that was when I had all my own tools. Without a place to keep your tools, it's hard to get that wage anymore. But I still have the skills - framing, drywall, etcetera," Hemphill said. "Maybe someone will read this and hire me. I can be contacted through the (Interfaith Care Community of Ashland)," Hemphill chuckled. At the other end of the age spectrum, Dustin Hartzell, 18, said he has been homeless for the past seven months. He said conflict with his step-parents led to his being arrested by police for multiple counts of assault, charges he denied were justified. His problems started after moving from Portland to Medford. His father and stepmother housed him in a shed outside of the house, and pressured him to live a Christian life. "I wasn't a bad kid, just not what they wanted me to be," Hartzell said. "They wanted me to be a Christian boy, go to church - and I was more counter-culture, into my own thing." According to Hartzell, domestic violence in the home led to problems in concentrating at school. Following a fracas with his father and stepmother, Hartzell said they contacted the police, who arrested him, and kept him in a Jackson County Juvenile facility for over eight months. "What's funny about it is that I didn't hit anyone. I was the one who got hit. I had a goose egg on my face, but no one listened," Hartzell said. After being released, Hartzell said he got a food service job, and performed community service. Today, he works as a dishwasher, attends Ashland High School and plans to take his general education exam rather than graduate. "In five years, I'd like to have a room, or an apartment to myself. I don't smoke, and I don't do drugs. I'd like to go to college and be a productive member of society - not for society, but for myself," Hartzell said. Tex Lee, 28, came to Ashland a week ago. According to Lee, he has been steadily homeless for the past three years. Trained as a chef, Lee said he burned out, and has since traveled the nation extensively working security for concerts and festivals. Because festival work is seasonal, Lee said he's waiting out the winter, and occupying himself by turning up at protests in defense of homeless rights. His appearance in Ashland marks his fifth such protest. "I got tired of paying taxes to a government I don't support," Lee said. "If you pay them taxes, they just go out and buy weapons." According to Lee, the hardest thing about being homeless isn't making ends meet - it's people that don't understand. "You get drunk people, neo-Nazis, people that are messed up and want to fight. That's why you have to hang with a group of cool people. There's safety in numbers," Lee said. Like Hemphill, Lee said his objective is to have a piece of property with "a bunch of friends." In the meantime, Lee said he'll continue to "make money, but on the downlow." "You can make money in lots of places where you can't be spotted. Until summer, though, I'm on vacation," Lee said. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. 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