given Wednesday, June 11

Mayor Potter, Commissioners, my name is Patrick Nolen; I am the Community Organizer at Sisters Of The Road.

We have come today to ask you to End the Anti Camping and Sit Lie Laws.

We, Street Roots and Sisters Of The Road, have felt the outcry of our community, supporting this cause. Part of that outcry comes in the form of 1,950 signed, unduplicated post cards, hand delivered or mailed to us by the people of our city. These post cards come from all over, business owners, people living without housing, local politicians and citizens from every economic background. Each person that took the time to write is a murmur, part of a louder voice, a louder voice demanding our rights.

These laws or similar laws are being fought up and down the west coast. Each city, whether it is Fresno, Seattle, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, all are fighting to repeal laws that criminalize people for doing nothing more than trying to exist. Portland has a chance to be at the forefront of this march towards civil rights for all, because Portland belongs to all of us…

You, our city council are experienced, understanding people, knowing by years of practice what will work, but also, what will not. We are offering you the chance to show that today by repealing these two abhorrent laws, laws that will never do anything but continue to criminalize people based only on the fact that they have no place to call their own.

Between these two laws, Sit Lie and Anti Camping, it is effectively illegal to be homeless in Portland’s downtown core. The Sit Lie law has been in effect since August 2007, not once has a person who was not homeless been cited… not once…

Our City’s council, you, the guidepost of our community, admits that we do not have enough low income housing units or shelter beds to house everyone who sleeps outside, yet we continue to criminalize people for merely meeting basic human needs, sleep and rest.

We know that you, our city council follow the lead of our community, we offer you that chance today, repeal these two laws. Thank you for your time