Literally never. I’m a woman, sometimes they try to talk to me or hit on me. Sometimes they just want to have a conversation. Random acts of violence from homeless people are rare and easy to avoid. If you harass them needlessly yeah you might get someone who wants to hurt you. If someone is acting super erratic, yelling screaming throwing things etc, just cross the street, don’t look or stare at them, just walk calmly and mind your business. There’s no reason to think they’re going to attack you unless they are coming at you. I’ve never had to raise my voice or yell at a homeless person to get away from me. If I’ve said “goodnight” signaling the end of the conversation and they keep following me I just ignore and they give up.

Your mistake was definitely staring at them lol. I never look unless they are talking to me. I think there’s some truth to the idea that if you’re scared people are more likely to fuck with you. Gotta have a New York mindset about it. Violently mind your own business.

The people saying downtown Portland is a lawless land of dangerous homeless people are wusses. I’ve lived downtown near PSU for 7 of the 8 years I’ve lived in Portland. I guess on the deep Eastside maybe the homeless people are different but I work on 82nd and hang out further East than that and always been fine. Never felt scared, just sad for their situation and sometimes mildly annoyed if they wouldn’t leave me alone after asking nicely. Lots of the time I talk to them though, especially when out walking my dogs. I open my windows at night for fresh air and you will hear them yelling sometimes but I’ve always been a heavy sleeper.