The Unsheltered in Clatsop County: The Current Slideset Each of these topics was presented as Public Comments at either the Astoria or Seaside City Council meetings or at the Clatop County Board of Commissioners meetings. Click each title below to expand (and click again to contract): Apartment Affordability in Clatsop A pdf of the above…
The [il-]Legalization of Homelessness by Rick Bowers June 29, 2021 A PDF version of this article is available here. Let me begin by presenting my “get-out-of-jail-free” card. I am not an attorney. However, somehow I pulled off getting an “A” in my one obligatory business law class by writing common sense answers to test questions.…
Unlocking Homelessness, Part 1: Who Experiences Homelessness and Why A Study by the National League of Cities Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, homelessness was frequently cited as a top concern for cities of all sizes. Now in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the pandemic-induced economic crisis, along with a racial reckoning, homelessness has…
March 3, 2020 A PDF version of this letter is available here. Clatsop County Board of Commissions 800 Exchange St., Suite 410 Astoria, OR 97103 Astoria City Council 1095 Duane St. Astoria, OR 97103 RE: Who is Responsible for Ending Homelessness? Dear Commissioners, Mayor, and Councilors: I was recently asked to be an advocate for…
Letter to Astoria City Council regarding the Comprehensive Plan On July 15th Rick Bowers asked the Astoria City Council to update the city’s Comprehensive Plan to reflect the needs of the homeless (as has been done in other Oregon cities). The Comprehensive Plan is the vision that guides the overall direction of the city. Specifically,…