City needs to do more to address homeless issues

Editorial in The World by Perry Holman

The homeless camps within city limits have been out of control for a long time. Each camp accumulates dumpsters of garbage left on the ground and in our waterways. I have even seen a honey bucket the homeless were using within 10 feet of a creek and evidence they were dumping that bucket full of human waste so that it was contaminating the creek. All we hear are excuses from the city for why they claim they can’t do anything.

Now we are into fire season and the homeless have started dozens of fires that threaten our homes and businesses. The fire department has been dispatched to multiple fires along Newmark started by one homeless lady in just one night. Fire has been dispatched to every homeless camp that I know of to put out fires that are unattended and spreading.

Fire is being dispatched daily to fires and only the homeless fires are the ones that have nobody around them and spreading. When is the safety of the taxpayers and their property going to take priority over the homeless illegal activities? The city cannot turn a blind eye to this obvious threat to the public and must hold these homeless accountable. When the homeless finally burn down structures, the city needs to be held liable because they have allowed this behavior to continue year after year.

Refusing to do what needs to be done to force compliance to the camping ordinance or charge these people with their crimes. This problem is snowballing out of control and no virtue signaling from the city will accomplish anything. Until the city decides to care about their taxpaying citizens and their safety, these homeless will be allowed to continue to terrorize this beautiful city until they destroy the city.

We should expect more from our leaders. Our leaders, if they had any sense of what is right, would expect more of themselves or resign because they know they are incapable of protecting the public.

—Perry Holman (Coos Bay)