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By Kevin Stine August 23. 2015 12:01AM From the Council: Homeless camp is a necessary step Last year, when I was knocking on doors and introducing myself to my potential constituents as I was attempting to get elected to the City Council, I would ask people what the main issues they see facing our city. In my west Medford neighborhood, one of the main issues they would point out is homelessness. When I was 11, the death of my great-grandmother, who was the only thread connecting the different factions of my family together, helped lead to a number of financial difficulties. Eventually, the practice of ignoring the knock on the door and hiding in the bedroom did not stop the eviction notice from being posted on our door. With the house that I had known for the majority of my life no longer being retained, and with no ability to pay for a motel, we shuffled around a couple of my mother’s friend’s houses while I completed fifth grade, before we moved to Oklahoma. While I would not consider the situation we faced as being homeless, I have experienced as close as one can be to it. I fully support the efforts of the Jackson County Homeless Task Force and Rogue Retreat to come together to create Haven Park. While at this stage this is still a conceptual idea as a location is still being determined, and the location will have to fit into the Oregon land-use laws as well as adhere to regulations for public facilities, it is a needed attempt to manage the problem. Haven Park will be an enclosed area, which will be self-policed by the citizens living there. It will be a drug- and alcohol-free zone in which they will have a place to feel safe at night. This will help give them a big step forward as they transition to a path to prosperity. I am in no position to think that a designated area for the homeless will eliminate all of the concerns I heard from constituents. The rapid rise in methamphetamine use and other drugs in this region is not going to be cured. While the resources for the mentally ill are growing, there will still not be enough for all that need attention, and there are some people who have given up on trying to be a productive member of society and just want to be left alone. However, for people that have nothing, even something we take for granted, such as shower or a nice haircut, can make a difference in an individual’s livelihood. For too long, Medford has effectively punted on the issue of homelessness. Our guiding document, the City of Medford Strategic Plan, made no mention of the homeless before I suggested that something be added. The position of the city was to leave it up to nonprofit agencies to try to fill the void. Despite the great work of those nonprofits, the need to do something more should be supported by our local government. Let us come together and try a new path forward. Kevin Stine is a member of the Medford City Council and can be contacted at [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece are his and do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of the City Council.   http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20150823/OPINION/150829905 © 2016 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->