Many walk by and see homeless camps on sidewalks and in vacant parking lots in Portland. A move has been made to address the houseless and homeless issues in the city. The City Council members voted to allocate $27 million of the city’s budget to build a network of designated camping areas for homeless people.
One thing many new people like about Portland is the compassion the local government has for the homeless population. Some believe that there is an imbalance and blight and unsafe areas are the results. The City Council voted to use $27 million of the city’s budget to build a network of designated camping areas for homeless people. The Portland Medium has covered this issue where the ballot measure was fiercely disputed.
The first three campsites will be built which will take $4 million of the $27 million to build. The city says that nearly half of the funds are going toward their operational costs for the remainder of the fiscal year. In addition, about $4 million of it will be directed to the sites’ preparation and construction.
The measure, passed by the City Council earlier, also banned street camping and approved the creation of six outdoor sites where homeless people will be allowed to camp. The ban on street camping is not right away. Under the passed measure, a ban on street camping will phase in over the next year and a half as the sites are completed.
Public opposition to the measure and the money that will fund it has been heated, with critics saying it will criminalize homelessness and fail to address its root causes. However, Mayor Wheeler stated that it will make streets safer and connect homeless people with social services.
