A community forum was held Wednesday night at the Liberty Theatre on homelessness and livability.

Homelessness is increasingly an issue communities across Oregon are trying to address.

A community forum on homelessness and livability drew questions and concerns about safety and support for the homeless and downtown businesses. A panel of city, business and social services leaders shared information and answered questions from the public during the discussion Wednesday night at the Liberty Theatre.

The forum was organized amid growing public frustration over behavioral issues and quality of life concerns that stem from an increasingly visible homeless population. In the coming weeks, the Astoria City Council will consider adopting ordinances to give police more tools to respond to some of the issues.

“The vast majority of the homeless population are not there by choice,” Police Chief Geoff Spalding said. “They don’t want to be in that position. And they do need help.

“We’re talking about a small percentage of individuals who choose not to conform to community standards. And those are the ones that we as a police department want to hold accountable,” the police chief said. “I think people are fed up. But at the same time, we can’t lose sight that we’re still dealing with humanity.”

The panel included representatives from the city, the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce, Clatsop Community Action, Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare and the nonprofit agency LiFEBoat Services. Representatives from Clatsop Economic Development Resources, the Astoria Downtown Historic District Association and the Astoria Warming Center assisted in sorting through questions from dozens of people in the audience.

Alison Hart, a consultant and former executive director of the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce, read the questions and comments and guided the discussion. David Reid, the executive director of the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce, outlined concerns about camping, loitering, threatening behavior and trash downtown. He called for collaboration, but said the problems cannot continue.

“I encourage you to continue to care for the people in our midst who are suffering and needing, but not to forget those who are doing nothing more than trying to make a living and a positive contribution to our city and our way of life,” Reid said. “Because those people deserve our compassion, too.

“Right now, many residents and business owners are mad at the current situation,” he said. “I know I’m mad. We all deserve better than this. I just don’t want us to be mad at each other. Because we deserve better than that, too.”

Sheriff Matt Phillips noted that the past two years have been challenging for everyone in the community. “And it’s issues that are largely out of our control as individuals, like the pandemic,” he said. “And I think that leaves us hungry to control those things that are near and dear to us.”

Questions and comments from the audience ranged from how police can help downtown businesses, the makeup of the homeless population and who will protect homeless people from harassment.

In addition to the tools under consideration by the City Council to address behavioral issues, Spalding encouraged businesses to sign up for the city’s Property Watch program, which authorizes police to take action against unwanted activity at storefronts and other private private property after hours or when owners cannot be contacted.

Viviana Matthews, the executive director of Clatsop Community Action, said the agency’s annual point-in-time count has shown that over 80% of the homeless population has lived in Clatsop County for more than a year and a half.

Mayor Bruce Jones said Astorians have a right to demand that those who choose to live in the community respect a common set of community standards for behavior.

But he was also critical of people who have posted photos and videos on social media of homeless people who are in distress.

“And posting it online as if to say, ‘Look at this, isn’t this horrible,’ and I feel it’s kind of disgusting to put someone in that position,” Jones said.

When one of the questions from the audience asked for examples of success stories, Erin Carlsen, who works with Filling Empty Bellies and LiFEBoat Services, asked people who were near the back of the theater if anyone would join the panel on stage to share their story.

Monica Gibbs, who was formerly homeless and now works at LiFEBoat Services, said she had sought assistance from nearly all of the social services organizations represented.

”And because of them, I’m alive, let alone housed,” Gibbs said. “It’s not an easy road. I’ve been housed off and on for a really long time. It takes one choice. I chose the wrong person. I wound up homeless.

”Everybody talks about the people that’s on the street,” she said. “Everybody says stuff. That’s me. That’s them.

”Everybody’s out there trying to do their best just like you. It just takes us a little bit longer. So please, just be patient.”