This article on downtown Portland highlights the classic debate on how best to address a city’s homeless population in face of urban renewal. Downtown Portland is in its third year of a ten year downtown renewal effort. In addition to an overnight homeless shelter, city leaders and advocate for the homeless seek to create a day-access center for homeless people. The center would be funded by the city, and managed by non-profits. Essentially, this day-access shelter would receive the homeless kicked out of the overnight shelter. Since most shelters close in the early morning, the homeless have few places to go besides the street. The shelter would provide a place for the homeless to “drink coffee, stay warm and receive help finding a permanent home.” Free haircuts, bike storage, mail delivery, computer lab, and a foot care clinic are other amenities currently under discussion. City Commissioner Sten argues that this new center will not add homeless people to Portland’s Old Town, but will help them leave. The commissioner also argues that the location in Old Town is preferable to other sites because it provides the easiest access. However, Carol McCreary, president of the Old Town Chinatown Neighborhood Association, cautions that the location of the center will pose a public safety issue for the neighborhood which has “come so far from its skid row days.” While property owners and residents in the area oppose the construction of the Center, the Commissioner states that “there is no City Council member who is going to give them (downtown) $300 million and not put the center there.”
Anna Griffin, “Old Town Homeless Center Strokes Ageless Debate,” The Oregonian, (Jan. 24 2008).
Jenny Cheung
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