30/11/2025
As We Close Out November 2025 — A Message on Reality, Results, and Responsibility
Alternative Living Solutions, Inc. (ALS), with me serving as President, has now been operating as a nonprofit for two full years since our launch in November 2023. Starting to manage Bridge Camp (started September 2023) and Pine Camp (started March 2024) which later added South Camp (November 2024).
In collaboration with Elk Island Trading Group, LLC — a major downtown waterfront landowner and for-profit business — ALS has been able to operate the only approved city-sanctioned tent camps in Roseburg under the City of Roseburg Tent Camping Resolution 2022-21, approved by the City Council in early 2022. Elk Island Trading Group provides the land, the tent-camp licenses, and significant in-kind support so we can help people who choose to step out of the chaos of unmanaged camps and into a safe, structured, sober, rules-based environment.
21,000 Day/Nights — and Counting
As of November 2025, our two-year anniversary, Alternative Living Solutions has provided over 21,000 Day/Nights of safe shelter to people experiencing homelessness — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — all on property owned or leased by Elk Island Trading Group.
Let me put that plainly:
That’s 21,000 day/nights of people NOT wandering the streets.
Not urinating or defecating in rivers and creeks.
Not lying in the mud to eat or sleep.
Not scattering trash throughout the city.
And not being part of the chaos in unmanaged camps.
Instead, they sleep inside fenced, monitored, rule-controlled camps — with privacy fencing so neighbors aren’t staring at tents, with cooking areas, clean sites, and a level of safety that allows them to go to meetings, appointments, or work while responsible camp members protect their belongings. The camps are on private property, back away from the bike paths or sidewalks, and back away from the river or creeks.
And unlike unmanaged camps, our camp residents volunteered more community-service hours in 2024 than any other organization, with all three camps receiving City of Roseburg Distinguished Service Certificates.
Meanwhile — look at Deer Creek Park
Some people online have tried to create theories, stir drama, or even pit campers against our program. But the truth speaks for itself. Before listening to uninformed people look at the facts of what is going on and the unaccomplished agendas that backs negative comments.
Now lets talk about the problems the city of Roseburg still faces:
The first group of photos attached are from Deer Creek Park and the railroad corridor up to Gaddis Park, taken November 28, 2025.
There are 70–100 illegal camps there right now — representing 100 to 150 people who remain untouched by enforcement. These camps are in violation because:
1) If they stay past 8 AM, it’s illegal.
2) If they exceed 10' x 10' with all belongings not inside, it’s illegal.
3) If they’re in prohibited zones, it’s illegal.
4) If they remain more than 48 hours, it’s illegal.
5) And many are on private property, also illegal.
When the city fails to enforce even these basic rules, unmanaged camps expand outward like wildfire. And the damage is real.
Private Property is Being Destroyed every day
The next set of photos shows what happens when there is no management and no enforcement.
1) Campers have broken into the gray house on the hill — multiple times.
2) Windows smashed out.
3) Interior vandalized.
4) The city boarded the windows, campers broke in again.
5) Music blasting from hillside camps.
6) People cutting trails across private property and the railroad line to reach their illegal sites.
7) Garbage dumped next to the radio tower.
8 ) Five to seven camps fully established on private hillside property, without any regard for boundaries or neighbors.
This is what happens on the opposite side of the creek from our Pine Camp, where rules, safety, and community accountability actually work as our camps call in illegal activity on that side.
For the Naysayers
To the ones online who say “I know what would work” while doing absolutely nothing:
Get busy helping the people in Deer Creek Park — or demand the City of Roseburg make changes.
Stop complaining, stop theorizing, stop stirring drama on something that is working.
Build your own program — prove it — or step aside.
These remaining people in these camps pictured need:
1) A fully managed camp,
2) Off the waterways,
3) Off commercial corridors,
4) With potable water
5) With toilets
6) With garbage service they help with
7) And a legal emergency access turnaround for when someone overdoses, gets injured, or needs help.
If you’re not offering that — you’re not offering a solution.
Final Word:
Alternative Living Solutions, Inc. and Elk Island Trading Group, LLC are success stories and should be applauded by the City of Roseburg and Community!
If you are a naysayer...When you have provided 21,000 day/nights of life-changing services— to people you don’t know, and in many cases have never even met —then you can call me to discuss how Alternative Living Solutions, Inc. or Elk Island Trading Group, LLC can improve.
Until then, we’ll keep doing the work that actually makes a difference to people in the Roseburg Oregon community and you can keep doing you.
To all of those supporting our program. many more than those not...I say Thank You for your support in whatever way it has been provided!! Community support is needed to make programs like ours work that provides such a needed community service not only providing safe camping areas but also community clean up. We just have so much more to get done!!
Sincerely,
Bernie Woodard
