The HTAG page is a place for information to be shared about homelessness in Douglas County and the efforts of a group of concerned citizens who began meeting in July 2015 in Roseburg, Oregon, to address the issue. At that time: a questionnaire was developed and distributed to community leaders to assess the scope of the issue, create a list of challenges to the community, and identify nee
ds of homeless and transient people. Over the course of several months, a working group of more than 60 participants used the information gathered from the questionnaire to create a list of goals and priorities for action to address these needs. The group includes homeless people, advocates for their interests, community volunteers, service providers, local church leaders, caring critics, concerned businesspeople, and government officials representing the following: United Community Action Network (UCAN), NeighborWorks Umpqua, and the Downtown Roseburg Association (DRA), Greater Douglas United Way (GDUW), BP Media, Paul O’Brien Winery, Architrave, Mercy Medical, Community Health Alliance, ADAPT, Umpqua Valley Disabilities Network, Good Governance Committee, The Ford Family Foundation, Court Ordered Special Advocates (CASA), Hucrest Church of God, Roseburg Alliance Church, Redeemer’s Fellowship, Dream Center, Faith Lutheran Church, Douglas County, City of Roseburg, HADCO, and Environmental Dispute Resolution USA (EDRUSA). Some participants hold strong feelings about key issues: economic and development impacts of homeless people’s presence and behavior in Roseburg’s central business district and other commercial areas, meeting housing needs for the poor and homeless, civil and property rights, public and private costs, use of public funds to serve homeless people, perceived irresponsibility towards other people and property by some homeless people, importance of being a compassionate community, and public health, safety, and security, for example. The Homeless Transitions Action Group’s motto, is “Offering a Hand Up to Homeless People in Douglas County.” At the motto’s core are significant levels of agreement that Douglas County communities should support willing homeless people to transition:
-- From being jobless, to having a job, and eventually supporting themselves fully;
-- From living on the street, to being housed, and eventually to paying market-rate rent or owning a home;
-- From being alcohol- or drug-dependent to being sober or clean;
-- From being mentally or emotionally disabled to being capable and life-skilled. page Mission & Guidelines:
We encourage engagement, discussion, comments, questions and even criticism but ask that you keep your comments and posts relevant and respectful. We may remove any post or ban anyone who violates these guidelines. This applies to personal attacks, slanderous, inappropriate language, racism, spamming and excessive posting. We reserve the right to delete posts advertising commercial products, as well as those that violate Facebook's terms of service, or are inaccurate or otherwise objectionable. By posting to our page you understand that we reserve the right to share your post on our page.
