To Roust Or Not To Roust
 

Here is a question.

There is a couple who lives in a van. They have been parking on the busy street by my house. I live on a corner lot, they are parked on the busy "side street" of my house, not the quiet "front street" of my house. I don't see the van from my house - there is an 8 foot fence on that side of the property, and then a 6 foot slope down to the street. I go to that side only to maintain the sidewalk strip, i.e. maybe once every other week. So they are not bothering me. They must move around, because I don't see the van there every night. I actually had no idea people were living in it, until my neighbor across the street let me know. I live in a nice residential neighborhood. There aren't any street people here, until now anyway.

The question is, what would you do? I think (not positive) it is illegal to camp in a car on public roads in Portland. Most likely I could call the police and get this couple rousted and told to find some other location. Should I? Would you?

I think your answer is there.

maybe talk to them before putting a plan together?

Having lived in and out of my car for nearly 7 years of my life when I was younger, I'd give them some food. And blankets, since winter is coming. Maybe a shower.

Thats a tough call, On one hand I don't think I would like them parking in front of my place and the other side of me sees that some people have no options right now.
Either way you go it's gonna be rough for you. Worry about them robbing you or worry because you took away the last option they have.
I do agree there could be better places to camp out.

Stealth camping perhaps?
I spent a few months in the Toyota Motel in the mid '70's. Rarely consecutive nights in the same spot though.
Jim

Hmmm, put yourself in their position, then ask again. Unless they are pissing in public, making a mess, stealing stuff, maybe just acknowledge their presence and be cool?

Whenever I have visited Oregon, people living in vehicles has been the norm, so not too sure why you're asking yourself any questions. There's probably a whole generation of people there who grew up in a schoolbus overgrown with weeds :)

You live in Portland. They arent bothering you.

According to my neighbor they are peeing in the pile of leaves that I'm raking up there. But honestly that doesn't bother me either. I don't see it. My neighbor sees it, she can call if she wishes to.

I'm not much worried about being robbed by them, or having any trouble from them. They have been discreet.

Undecided here. The whole range from "call the cops" to "give them money" is in consideration.

By the way, I want to express my appreciation for you guys chiming in. I have both a moral compass and a sensibility scale, but sometimes they need a bit of calibrating.

Do what the little voice inside you tells you is the "right' thing.

That's what I always do when faced with a decision of this nature.

Wolfe's answer was a good one, I thought.

No such thing as too much Karma in your soul...:p

A good friend of mine here is homeless by choice. He's got plenty of money, could buy a house outright if he wanted to. He's just a man of principle.

I don't question him. I just offer a couch to sleep on sometimes.

If it was me? ... I would report it to the police and get them to move.

Also... I worked hard to buy my house and I continue to work hard to maintain it. That's my "castle" and they're camped on my wall.

That may seem cruel but you know what. It's not your problem so do make it "yours".
You don't know anything about them or what got them into that situation in the first place.

Who knows what they're planning or what they're into.

Give them the address to the local WalMart, they allow camping in their parking lots.

it's interesting how experience shapes perception. I would normally fall into the camp of leave them be. After watching a junk truck steal a dismounted wheel (had a flat) from my wagon the other day, I am a bit more cautious, and a bit less trusting.

My net though is if they are peeing in a pile of leaves, they've got to go, wheel stolen or not.

I'd go meet them and then decide -

IF they are cooking crystal meth in the van, that leads to one decision.

IF they are hungry and pregnant and desperate, that leads a different direction.

best case - they might provide an added level of protection to your pad! Particularly if you buy them a burrito and a beer and ask them to 'keep an eye on things' and give up your cell phone number.

I think a lot of better options by being nice than rousting them....

td

I would consider Gulianni's Broken Windows concept. It was people turning a blind eye to the petty stuff that leads to an eventual lower quality of life. I would ask them not to park there, and if the kept coming back I would call the police.

I'd bring them out a care package of food...or a nice couple of plates if you have left overs for dinner.

Imagine being in their place and how much it must suck. And act of kindness such as this would mean a lot to them, and they'd still feel like humans. Plus you'd feel pretty good for helping out.

I bet it would also guarantee that they would stop peeing on your lot. :)

Funny you mention that. There was a street person who we always saw. I told him if he watched my car, he'd have a meal on us when we came back to the car. Sure enough, every single time we came back he was still by the car guarding it.