PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Mayor Ted Wheeler has signed another emergency order in an effort to clean up Portland.
Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the fourth declaration Wheeler has issued to address homelessness and livability issues goes into effect Wednesday. The three previously issued emergency declarations by Wheeler also will be renewed this week.
The mayor’s office says the newest declaration will deal with trash, graffiti, illegal dumping and abandoned cars.
During his State of the City speech Friday, Wheeler said it would streamline the city’s response by installing a “central command structure” over 20 city programs and eight bureaus that are currently overseen by five different city council members.
The order consolidates city programs that work on such clean-up efforts under Wheeler’s authority, allowing him to reprioritize the work.
The mayor has asked the city’s Bureau of Human Resources to help expedite the hiring of additional people to help meet the order’s goals.