Multiple residents used the public comment period to press the council to address a rise in homeless camps and perceived threats to neighborhood safety.
Abby Jacobs, an emergency nurse, described repeated encounters with people she said were "meth induced" and said parents avoid Corner Park because of used needles. Jack Jacobs, a recent arrival, said he had been verbally assaulted near a campsite and asked whether the city is being proactive or reactive. Another speaker, Del Ganga, urged the council not to give the shower trailer away, saying the neighborhood had suffered and that taxpayer resources should be prioritized for residents.
The council responded with a mix of sympathy and procedural notes. Staff and the police said they are coordinating with Oregon Department of Transportation where camps are on ODOT property and that officers have undertaken outreach on Thursday mornings to remind habitual non-appearers about court; councilors also emphasized the limits of city enforcement under state law. Councilors and staff reported a tentative plan to use "town hall" special meetings—including a budget-focused town hall tentatively scheduled for April 30—to solicit broader community input.
Next steps: staff will provide a report on the Gateway camp and continue communications with ODOT; council directed staff to bring the town-hall rules back in final form at a subsequent meeting.