A self-proclaimed “sheriff” who screened homeless people to determine who could live on his streets in Portland, Oregon, has apparently died at the hands of one of the people he was trying so hard to help.
His name was Kenny Houseman.
At about 12:30 a.m. on Monday, Houseman was reportedly trying to mediate an argument between two homeless men when one of the men suddenly stabbed Houseman in the throat.
“He has no authority to police the public road adjacent to his property.”
Hausman was taken to hospital where he later died from his injuries. He was 73 years old.
Two other homeless campers reportedlySuspect“In the fatal stabbing of Houseman, police were able to hold down the individual until they arrived, but the individual was later released without charge.cooperateIn the investigation”
The Blaze-News reached out to detectives working the case to see if the arrested individuals were ever treated as suspects, and Portland Police Public Affairs Manager Mike Benner released the following statement to The Blaze-News:
“At this time, there is not enough evidence to charge the individual in custody with a crime, and therefore he has been released. The individual is cooperating with authorities and the investigation is ongoing. We have nothing further to add.”
Last September, KATU TV It ran an article about Houseman, who owned a parcel of land that ran the entire length of Clinton Street, calling himself the “Sheriff of Clinton Street” and allowing homeless residents to camp along the street if they passed his inspection.
“I don’t want people stealing catalytic converters or stealing gasoline,” he told the outlet at the time. “I don’t want them on my street. If they’re there, we have to take steps to get them out.”
Campers and tents lined the streets, but Hausman banned noisy generators and late-night parties, and he also provided electricity for the homeless residents.
By all accounts, Houseman, a Vietnam War veteran, firmly believed he could help at least some people. “They’ve got to live somewhere. … Good people have got to live somewhere,” he said. “The rest of them? They can’t live here.”
Neighbors have complained about a spike in violent crime in the area, and the data backs up their concerns: KATU independently verified that the area has “above average rates of assaults, stolen vehicles and weapons violations,” though those numbers don’t necessarily tie directly to homeless encampments.
The city of Portland’s Road Services Coordination Center was also unhappy with Hausman’s zoning. [sic] “He is known to contact city staff to try to keep people within his block, but has no authority to police the public road adjacent to his property,” the department said in a 2023 statement.
Hausman believes opponents generalize homeless people too much and miss the good in them. “They just see the campers and they think, ‘Oh, homeless, crime, drugs…’ They don’t see Tim. I think Tim works, I’m not sure, but he wouldn’t steal from them. I don’t know much about Jim, but Steve, this old guy, is on welfare and he needs a place to stay,” Hausman explained.
He also denied that sanctioned campers engaged in behavior commonly seen among the homeless. “You don’t see car thieves here,” he told KATU. “You don’t see people lying around taking drugs. You don’t see needles. All the trash is in one place.” [waste removal] pick up.”
Now, at least one Clinton Street camper is mourning Hausman’s death. “He did a lot to try and help the campers,” recalled Michael Zamora, who lives in an RV.
“He didn’t have to die.”
(H/T: Post-Millennial)
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