I read Monique DeSpain’s Monday guest column blaming Rep. Val Hoyle and Oregon Democrats for our homelessness crisis. I share the frustration many people feel. The situation on our streets is unacceptable, and Oregon has not moved fast enough. But pointing a finger at one member of Congress is not a serious diagnosis of a complex, statewide problem. It is a political shortcut that does nothing to help the people who are suffering.

Val Hoyle did not create homelessness in Oregon. She has supported federal funding for shelter expansion, behavioral health, addiction treatment and long‑term housing stability. These are the same tools used in other states that are making progress. The real issue is that Oregon has never paired its investments with the level of treatment capacity, accountability, and enforcement authority needed to make those investments effective.

Even California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who supports “Housing First,” has been clear that housing alone will not solve street homelessness. California is shifting toward a model that combines housing with treatment requirements, stronger accountability for publicly funded programs, and expanded authority to intervene when people are clearly unable to care for themselves. Newsom has said that leaving people to deteriorate on sidewalks is not compassion. Oregon should take that message seriously.

We need more detox beds, more treatment slots and more long‑term recovery programs. We need street‑level behavioral health teams who can intervene before someone reaches a crisis. We need accountability for programs that receive public dollars, and consequences when those programs fail. And we need enforcement tools for situations where people are a danger to themselves or others.

None of this happens without federal partnerships. Hoyle is one of the members of Congress pushing for increased behavioral health funding, rural treatment access and federal support for shelter expansion. Removing her from the conversation does not solve homelessness. It removes a voice fighting for the resources Lane County needs.

The crisis is real, and the suffering is real. But scapegoating is not a plan. Oregon needs a full‑court press: housing, treatment, accountability and coordinated leadership at every level.

Curtis Taylor
Eugene