MEDFORD, Ore. – The City of Medford held a Resource Fair at Hawthorne Park Friday. The bi-annual event is for people who are homeless or low-income. There were countless organizations at Hawthorne Park trying to help people. But a couple of homeless people said these programs aren’t one size fits all.
“The programs don’t always work, they don’t always work for people,” said Christine-Marie Caligiuri, a Greenway resident.
Caligiuri’s been homeless for a year. She’s tried the Kelly Shelter, as well as the Urban Campground. But she says both facilities just didn’t work for her.
“I literally had to start yelling at people saying 6 feet, 6 feet,” said Caligiuri.
So like many other homeless community members, she moved onto the Greenway.
“I really like where I’m living on the greenway honestly. I really do,” said Caligiuri, “Everyone there is on a different journey, but we’re all on the same boat”.
Now, come May 1, when Medford’s new camping ordinance takes effect no camping will be allowed there.
“It’s really hard to get any rentals. The fires happened, so people who were already housed are having hard problems,” said Caligiuri.
But Medford Police Sgt. Geoff Kirkpatrick said the new camping ordinance isn’t black and white.
“The enforcement piece is on the very back end. We’re gonna use a lot of time saying here’s what you can take advantage of, here on the resources you can go to, here the openings in the transitional housing we have for you. All you have to do is say yes,” said Sgt. Kirkpatrick.
Kirkpatrick said there’s also a lot of misinformation his team is trying to stop. People living on the Greenway won’t get arrested starting May 1st automatically. Police said they can take the resources given to them or leave the location.
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