The homeless crisis in Portland, Oregon has spiraled out of control in recent years, with one drug counselor saying the city is actually encouraging homelessness by allowing activists to set up empty tents outside.
Kevin Dalgreen, a drug consultant with 27 years of experience in social services, says the city is taking a “band-aid” approach to the growing crisis by encouraging the homeless to sleep outside.
“When you don’t actually help permanent solutions, old homeless people stay there and new homeless people come in and everything just grows,” he said.
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Kennedy of FOX Business criticized the city for not handling the crisis and called the situation “heartbreaking”.
“It’s completely inhumane. They see people as disposable. Social services in this city are completely destroyed. this is their vision of utopia. It’s terrible,” she explained on Monday in The Five.
“They are doing it wrong. Their coverage is poor. They don’t send people to rehab centers. They rarely put people in shelters. And the elderly population, the homeless population, is growing in Portland, as it is in Southern California. They don’t have any real solutions,” she continued.
Tents line the sidewalk at SW Clay St in Portland, Oregon on December 9, 2020. City council members in Portland, Oregon, are set to vote on a resolution banning outdoor camping for the homeless. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer, file)
“They just love to scream about stuff and they buy people tents and make things a lot worse. It’s just… it shows they don’t care. And money, we’ve seen it everywhere. country. Money does not solve the problem of homelessness. Systems decide, and they refuse to purchase operating systems. And they are ashamed.”
Co-host Jesse Watters suggested that the city take a new approach to encourage the homeless community to get involved in cleaning the streets they live on.
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“I know a guy in Long Island who works with a lot of the homeless and it has nothing to do with money,” he said. He takes them to his park and makes them pick up trash. And it gives them a sense of accomplishment. And then other people in the community say, “I walk in this park all the time.” This park looks brand new. Thank you guys so much for your contribution to this park.” And these guys hear this and that, you know, it gives them a sense of dignity.
Kevin Dahlgren visits a campsite to talk to residents about moving to a homeless shelter on March 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
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“It gives them a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. And money can’t buy it. You have to get it yourself with things like action and action. And right now they’re just wasting away.”
Hannah Rae Lambert of Fox News contributed to this report.
