Portland, OR (6-18-14) — A Tent City for the Homeless has existed for 3-years in Portland despite the City’s animosity, shepherded by a good Samaritan who goes by ‘Ibrahim’ Muhammad Mubarak. This street interview is an illustration of how street people can come together to create a community in the face of oppressive municipal policies. One may note there are portable toilets and a policy of no weapons or drugs in this respite adjacent to the Fu Dogs entrance to Portland’s Chinatown.
Gateway to Chinatown & Portland’s Homeless
Right 2 Survive is a homeless advocacy group made up of houseless, formally houseless folks, and their supporters. It is also a 501(c) nonprofit corporation situated in Portland, OR. Ibrahim B. Mubarak is its chairman. (503)839-9992 i_tpop@hotmail.com
Ibrahim B. Mubarak
Sheltering the Poor/Destitute
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000489117182
www.facebook.com/pages/Right-2-Dream-Too/291307830880922?sk
Blog: www.right2survive.wordpress.com
Portable Toilets, 8-12 hours rest without Harassment
Word was the vacant lot was gifted to the poor as a public resource for the homeless after the previous owner had a dispute with City officials over his adult bookstore. Eventually, that store was hounded out of business by Portland’s guardians of public morality and, quite possibly, the proliferation of pornography on the internet. The owner then attempted to license a restaurant on the premises but was rebuffed in this effort and every other proposal he made to City officials. Finally, seeing no way to salvage his holdings profitably, he demolished the structure (eliminating tax liability and City revenue) and gifted it to Ibrahim’s organization which has operated it in its current configuration for the past 3 years in the face of great municipal animosity, but with the help of a successful local pro bono lawyer.
At any rate, the property is now well used, 24/7 for the stated purpose in a tough neighborhood with many windows to abandoned storefronts broken out. Food is not always available on the lot and neither tobacco, booze, drugs, or weapons are welcome. The homeless, however, are! The Union Gospel Mission is next door.
