(Headline USA) A bill introduced by Oregon Democrats last month would give homeless people $1,000 per month with no spending restrictions.
The bill would establish a People’s Housing Assistance Fund Demonstration Program to give 12 monthly payments to homeless citizens or those who are struggling to find housing. However, the bill does not say the funds must be used to secure housing. In fact, it does not include any restrictions on how the money must be spent.
“Payments may be used for rent, emergency expenses, food, child care or other goods or services of the participant’s choosing,” the bill says.
People who spend more than 50% of their monthly income on rent would be eligible for the program, as would those who earn 60% or less of the area median income.
There are more than 14,650 people who are homeless in Oregon, according to data. The problem is especially noticeable in Portland, where hundreds of tent camps have taken over sections of the city.
Residents in the nearby vicinity have complained about increased crime and drug use as a result of the homeless camps. One Portland family had to use fire extinguishers to save their home after homeless squatters set a nearby house on fire twice in one day.
“There are fires that have been happening off and on. Major ones. This recent one actually came and set our property on fire,” resident Jacob Adams said. “Within 12 hours of that fire, another fire popped up. My wife was screaming, and propane tanks were igniting off from the fire.”
Although Democrat Mayor Ted Wheeler has announced plans to ban tent camps in the city, they have not yet been cleared out.
“The magnitude and the depth of the homeless crisis in our city is nothing short of a humanitarian catastrophe,” Wheeler said in October. “We need to move our scattered, vulnerable homeless population closer to the services that they need.”
