Joseph Perry stood near Hoff and 16th streets with his two miniature pinschers, Bow and Mingus, who were pulling lightly at their leashes. He wrapped the leather-tipped cords around one hand, a cigarette in the other, as we walked toward 17th Street and stopped beneath two blossoming trees planted beside a parking garage.
A Bay Area native and Army veteran, Perry served in Iraq from 2003 to 2008 as a mechanic.
Returning to his life in the United States was not easy. “It started with alcohol,” he said. “Like every disease, it’s progressive. When that didn’t work, I turned to something else.”
Poor sleep, he said, only deepened the cycle, but staying awake at night often felt safer. When he lacked stable housing, he used the Gubbio Project’s day shelter, at 1661 15th St., to rest during the day.
Now in city-supported hotel housing, Perry focuses on recovery and hopes to finish school. He still stops by Gubbio for coffee when he can. “I’m just trying to get to a better place,” he said. “At least I’m safe. It’s giving me a chance to finish school and hopefully get into something better.”
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez
Photo by Gustavo Hernandez.
Gustavo !
I got into something of a confrontation with some of the Narco Nomads chased away by the Cop parking lot today.
6 to one and I was the one.
Called cops and they never came.
That line is oft repeated in this town.
In midst of things as gawd is my witness, a do gooder arrived with a heavy metal 6 foot tall and long mobile closet …
“For you to hang your clothes on.”
Plus, now get this …
A one person Knight’s Tournament looking screen for privacy as they shit on the walk behind the Armory my other dawg and I had just spent 2 hours cleaning.
This is way too weird to be Base Reality.
go Warriors !!
h.
The drug dealers and users need to be dealt with severely or the situation will remain the same or worse. Just take a look around 16th plaza. Nothing has changed for the better. Embarrassing to say the least.
Happy to see at least one person who has some accountability and take responsibility .
The number s unfortunately dont look good for most .
Even if motivated and go to treatment , the fentanyl addicts relapse .
The cost burden by taxpayers is tremendous and not sustainable.
Surely the users who refuse help and continue to destroy their life and all of us , is selfish
It is hard to comprehend but they are addicts.
Zero usage and absistence is the only option.
Either the city just start giving out fentanyl and let people use without medical intervention in a field or mandatory treatment and removal should be the options .
The game playing and enabling by those who keep pushing for softer approach is harming.
Taking drugs or alcohol
On the streets indicates impairment and is not acceptable .
Bringing persons back and forth to the hospital and jabbing them with narcan is like putting a bandaid on a cancer.
Time to stop playing with peoples lives .
Round up the drug dealers and stop playing games with the addicts .
20 plus addicts on Myrtle everytime we go out for 7 years .
That is 8 thousand witnessed drug addicts for one block . Just for one block .
Please stop the cruelty . Law enforcement and mandatory removal and treatment in a locked place.
If they refuse treatment then go to jail. At least there should be less drugs there They get medical care a bed and food
Maybe they will learn how to work and take care of themselves .
Lower Polk is the drug ghetto.
Very sad .