Portland Mayor Charlie Hales and his chief of staff Josh Alpert toured the Hazelnut Grove homeless camp Friday afternoon, talking to residents and touring the tents and structures that have been set up near the intersection of North Greeley and Interstate avenues.
The camp was organized relatively recently and continues to grow, with residents trying to accommodate newcomers who may not have tents or sleeping bags.
"Where will I put them? We need supplies," said Wesley Courverler, who has been living in the camp for about three weeks and helping to build wooden structures. "I'm getting new people who don't have tents."
Mayor Hales spoke to residents about issues ranging from the treatment of the mentally ill to the ODOT property line that serves as one of the borders of the camp. Residents discussed both their triumphs and their troubles with Hales and Alpert, who spent about an hour at the camp after arriving with gifts of food.
"I've learned a little bit more about how this is working; I'm impressed by how it is working," said Hales in an interview with Vahid Brown, a Portland activist and the camp's liaison to the city. "Our job in city hall is to try to help everybody where they are, whether they are in established neighborhoods and everything's fine, or whether they're struggling and they're trying to stay in their apartment, or whether they're houseless and living on the street."
After Hales and Alpert moved on to attend the tree lighting ceremony at Pioneer Courthouse Square, camp resident Richelle Irving spoke about the need for additional sleeping bags, tents and porta potties, but was optimistic about Hazelnut Grove's future.
"We're a family here," she said.