[ad_1]
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland Mayor Keith Wilson held a public meeting on Tuesday night to address the city’s growing homelessness crisis.
With the goal of creating 1500 shelter beds by Dec. 1, Wilson says housing and shelter are his top priorities.
However, dozens of nonprofits and service providers voiced concern about the barriers that slow down progress, saying that the system needs serious work.
“We have some opportunities there for some low-hanging fruit to streamline paperwork, streamline the approval process, more, better communication with partners and government partners as well to get folks housing and hopefully keep them housed, which is why we’re all here for,” said Margaret Salazar, the community development leader for REACH CDC, which houses over 3500 people.
Salazar also said that accessing help shouldn’t be so complicated — Scott Seif knows that firsthand.
After years of homelessness, Seif’s hoping for a more straightforward path to stability:
“People need to stop and think really about the whole situation and how it affects an individual. Stability is the main thing,” he said.
Seif says a paperwork technicality could push him out of his affordable apartment of five years.
“Can we try and find a system that works with everyone?” he said.
Meanwhile, Wilson is pushing hard to hit his goal of 1500 new shelter beds, including a new overnight shelter in the Pearl District coming in weeks.
Neighbors are still asking if the shelters can solve addiction and mental health challenges, but Wilson insists that the city has to start somewhere.
“Let’s just care for those individuals. Bring them off the street, get them care. It will reduce the drug use,” Wilson said.
Right now, only 400 of the planned beds are currently available.
Wilson is also proposing 90-day limits for anyone staying at 24/7 city-funded shelters.
[ad_2]
Anthony Kustura
Source link