Portland's Policy To Improve Livability Backfires

"In Portland, homeless people are increasingly targeted by anti-nuisance policies designed to keep them off of public property and out of public places. Under pressure from businesses and others, local officials have taken a tough stance against a growing homeless population, imposing ordinances and policies to make areas off-limits that once were common turf for people with nowhere to go.

But the zero-tolerance tactic, meant to improve the city's livability, has backfired. The hidden homeless are now spilling into neighborhoods and downtown corridors, onto doorsteps of businesses and homes, fueling a perception that Portland's homeless problem is worse than ever."