PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Portland City Council discussed Mayor Charlie Hales’ proposal to extend the one-year Housing State of Emergency.
The council amended the proposal to a 1-year extension early in Wednesday’s meeting, but will iron out the details of this extension at a later time. The council is expected to vote on it next week.
Staff members for commissioners Nick Fish, Amanda Fritz and Dan Saltzman said their bosses do not support a 3-year extension.
The housing emergency declaration gives the city flexibility when it comes to zoning. Portland’s zoning code does not allow mass shelters on industrial property, but with the extension the city says it can bypass those zoning laws to build shelters now.
While many spoke in support of the extension, some, like Joe Walsh, questioned the effectiveness.
“A year ago we had 1800 to 2000 people on the street,” Walsh said. “Today, we have 1800 to 2000 people on the street. When we see the figures we see, you’ve spent a lot of money, you’ve done a lot of talking. You’ve ignored us and we still have 1800 to 2000 people at night who are fearful.”
Discussion of the mayor’s proposal comes just a day before the city-planned sweep of the homeless off the Springwater Corridor.
The city’s policy director of livability, Chad Stover, told KOIN 6 News on Tuesday the sweep could take several weeks.
“We want to do it with a soft touch. We want to do this thoughtfully,” Stover said. “We’re not interested in a speed record here. We’re interested in developing those good relationships and doing this in as humane way as possible.”
Part of the problem with the sweep is the question of where all the homeless campers are going to go. The mayor’s office admits there aren’t enough shelter beds for the approximately 300 people currently camping in the Springwater Corridor.
The big question now is whether the city — which gave itself permission to put shelters on industrial-zoned property, such as Terminal 1 and the proposed Right 2 Dream Too site — can legally do that.
On Tuesday, a state agency ruled homeless camps on property zoned for industrial use is not legal.The Portland Tribune contributed to this report