Safety & Livability

Multnomah County announced success in housing over 500 folks through a voter approved tax increase passed in 2022. Only 5 people returned to the streets. Wrap around services and community support made this pilot program a success. The Joint Office for Homeless Services produced a report highlighting their efforts, success, and partnerships. The city has an opportunity to increase their participation to be a greater part of the solution. Collaboration.

Multnomah Counties voter approved tax measure to increase services to houseless/homeless

We will need to collaborate with local, county, state, and federal agencies to enact policy that supports N/NE Portland to ensure the safety of our residents.

Our police are still out of compliance with a host of federal guidelines - that needs to be addressed on top of the need for more police in general. Laura remembers when she moved here in 2004 , the police precinct was just off the bridge in St.Johns . Having that community policing was very helpful for response times. Laura worked at the old Starbucks and would get there to open at 3:45am. Having their presence near by was so helpful - if an issue would arise - the police were able to get out to the neighborhoods in District 2 much quicker than the current response times. Multiple locations for community police and working with neighborhood connections would go a long way in providing better safety supports. Laura fully endorses and supports community policing. This is an investment in community and being part of the community, with a drive to thrive and support, not create control through fear, but relationship building to combat the many problems that plague Portland. Laura believes there needs to be quality oversight and working towards the federal recommendations that have been in place since 2013 so we can create a culture shift in community policing so that together we are truly working to protect and serve as the police bureaus motto states.

We have had plans to combat homelessness. We’ve had great plans to do so- what we have lacked is the will of elected officials to act upon all the hard work of experts to reduce houselessness.

In 2003 Portland had Home Again - a 10 year plan to end homelessness.

From 2014-2022 Portland, Multnomah County and Gresham had A Home for Everyone

Now we will have to see if the city and county can work together towards actually tackling houselessness in a meaningful way. We have advocates, organizations, incredible policy people to tackle this work. What we really need is for elected leaders to listen, learn and act upon that expertise.

Did you know that small businesses make up 94% of business in PDX?

Many are trying to bring folks back to the City Center- click here for more information.

We know that businesses all over the Portland Metro area, and not just in District 2 are still reeling from post-pandemic. It is up to us as a community to support these businesses, but it is up to the city and the local neighborhood leaders to work together in improving safety, livability, and economic vitality for all Portlanders.

Many cities have similar programs to Portland’s Street Response. CAHOOTS, started in 1989 in Eugene, Oregon and is the longest running program of its kind.

While PSR had roll out difficulties, it has proved to be a very crucial component of our ecosystem. Our current city leaders and the bureau which houses the PSR are actively working to undermine the program, through underfunding, threats of defunding, and creating redundant systems. We currently have PSR and a new pilot program called CHAT (Community Health Assist and Treat) to assist with overdoses and support systems in downtown. Both programs reside within the Fire Bureau.

Laura believe we need to respond effectively to people in mental health crises - but the program must be supported and fully funded with clear goals or Critical Success Indicators of (CSI’s) to collect data and demonstrate the program is working as intended. Number of calls, strategies of deescalation, and locations where people experiencing mental crises can be served.

The city and the county need to be working together to effectively staff and implement the needs of people who are having a mental crisis and provide that service to the community outside of law enforcement. This will reduce escalation of these crises which too often end in violence, minimal referrals to services, incarceration, and even death.

Some current City Council members and our Mayor all campaigned on adding Participatory Budgeting to the general funds of the city budget, while they were campaigning for a seat and then promptly abandoned PB when they had the power of the city purse.

Portland is the only major city on the West Coast that has not yet adopted PB - where 1-3% of the discretionary part of the budget is for the community to have a say in where our tax dollars go. The community proposes a project with a budget and a quick timeline. This allows more people to become involved with government, have a say in how are our dollars are spent, and showcase these unmet needs to elected officials and highlight what needs to funded in our communities. For more information please check out Community Budgeting for All.