Metro offering free trash pick-up for local homeless

Published 12:00 am Monday, June 17, 2019

By Geoff Pursinger

Hillsboro has joined a pilot program aimed at helping the homeless dispose of their unwanted trash. Garbage disposal is a major issue for many homeless residents.

The city of Hillsboro is partnering with Metro, the regional government, on a pilot project aimed at cleaning up the city’s streets.

Hillsboro and Metro have joined forces on a new trash-collection program that provides free garbage pickup for homeless people in the Hillsboro area.

This week, Hillsboro police officers are distributing empty garbage bags to area homeless people, according to the city. The bags can be filled and then left in public parks, sidewalks and other publicly owned property where they will be picked up by city or Metro employees.

Earlier this month, Hillsboro police conducted surveys of area homeless people, who said that trash is often an undiscussed problem, which leads to unsightly homeless camps.

“One man told us that food boxes don’t do him much good, as well meaning as they are,” Hillsboro Police Officer Jason Becker said. “It just becomes garbage in the woods.”

to read the rest of the story in the Hillsboro Tribune.

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