Below are some ways to help end homelessness, organized by Sisters and our Civic Action Group (CAG), community organizers who have experience with homelessness.

1. Sisters’ Truth Commission on Sit-Lie Law

Thursday Aug 7th from 5:30 - 7:30pm
Sisters Of The Road (133 NW 6th Ave)

Come testify about your experiences with the sit-lie law and/or come to listen!

Sisters’ truth commission will provide a space where concerns and experiences related to the Sit-Lie Law are genuinely listened to and respected. Michael Buonocore, Sisters’ Associate Director, explains, “We lack confidence that the voices of people most affected by this law will be taken seriously during the SAFE public hearing. Therefore, we will have our own forum where people will be heard.”

Testimony from the truth commission will be compiled into a short report that will be delivered to the Street Access for Everyone (SAFE) Oversight Committee during their public hearing to review the effectiveness of the strategy.

2. SAFE Oversight Committee Public Hearing

Monday August 11, 2008 from 3 - 5pm
At the Community Room, First Unitarian Church. Enter at: 1226 SW Salmon, Portland 97205.

Come protest the Sit-Lie Law with us and/or give testimony during the hearing about why you think this law should be repealed!

Sisters’ Civic Action Group members will be wearing their black CAG tee-shirts so try to wear a black t-shirt in solidarity!

As with anything Sisters is involved with, this is a nonviolent protest. Come speak your truth about the law and let’s do it in a respectful and non-humiliating way!

For more info, please contact Patrick at 503-222-5694 ext. 13 or

3. Help Repeal the Sit-Lie and Anti-Camping Laws!

Street Roots and Sisters Of The Road presented almost 2,000 postcards to Portland City Council on Wednesday, June 11 at 9am asking for the repeal of the sit-lie and anti-camping laws. The postcards were signed by citizens who are concerned that the ordinances punish thousands of Portlanders who lack adequate, safe and affordable shelter. Thanks so much to everyone who helped make this successful!

You can still sign a postcard and we will get it to the City Council; download the postcard by clicking here and bring or mail it to Sisters. Here’s some coverage that came out just after the event:

• Portland Mercury
• Willamette Week
• Loaded Orygun

4. Get in the know. . .

5. For more info on the Sit-Lie law, click ‘read more’ below . .

According to data submitted to the City by the Portland Police Bureau, the Sit-Lie Law has been enforced almost exclusively against homeless people. “Enforcement of the Sit-Lie Law is not only inhumane and immoral, it’s unconstitutional; the constitution says laws cannot be enforced against any one class of people. Of the 88 warnings and citations issued between August 30th, 2007 and January 22nd, 2008, 79 were people who were identified as homeless, ‘transient,’ or no address was listed,” said Patrick Nolen, Community Organizer for Sisters.

The SAFE Workgroup was established by the Portland City Council on May 24, 2006, developing “Five Strategies for a More Livable Portland.” According to the Executive Summary of this process on the Mayor’s website, “The Workgroup emphasized that consensus around this strategy would not endure unless all five parts are implemented together.”

Sisters’ staff representatives on the SAFE oversight committee noted that the services associated with these strategies, including day access center space, public restrooms and benches, have not been implemented in a timely and adequate manner. 

By contrast, the strategy of a sit-lie law that prohibits anyone from sitting or lying on a public sidewalk between 7 am and 9 pm has been fully implemented, and the vast majority of warnings and citations are issued to homeless individuals. To deepen this injustice, the language of the law applies to obstructions on the sidewalk including signs and seating outside of businesses that do not have the proper permit.  No action has been taken to enforce the law as it applies to inanimate objects, only humans who lack shelter.

In recognition that the SAFE process has not resulted in the equal implementation of the five strategies and has been shown to target homeless people in its enforcement, Sisters Of The Road publicly resigned from the Oversight Committee on May 8, 2008.