On Thursday, Mayor Ted Wheeler and Eastside business leaders announced a 90-day public safety “reset” for the Central Eastside, to take on the safety, cleanliness, and accessibility concerns of local businesses.
In the conference, Wheeler said the City heard business owners' concerns loud and clear at a forum in November.
In that forum, a business owner listed off all the problems the community faces from the homeless encampments and people experiencing addiction and mental health crises:
"Like everyone in this room, we deal daily with feces, human, on our shoes, we deal with break-ins, we deal with assaults, we deal with cars that get broken into. This afternoon we had an explosion around the corner from us, fire everywhere. That’s the world that we live in. Every day," said the owner.
In response, for the next 90 days, Wheeler says the City will address the campsites posing the most significant risks to local businesses among many other issues.
Central Eastside Industrial Council director Clare Briglio said that they've worked closely with city staff to craft the reset plan since that forum.
Wheeler stated this "reset" will expand trash cleanups and add more public trash cans, more lighting to deter crime, and use city contractors to do graffiti cleanup - including that on private property if the owners sign a waiver with the city.
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In addition, Portland Police will increase focused missions and patrols in the area, and PBOT will be asked to clear public right of way on sidewalks and other throughways to comply with ADA accessibility guidelines.
In September 2022, a group filed a lawsuit against the City of Portland for violating the ADA by allowing camps to block public-access sidewalks.
The Portland Police Bureau backed this up, saying they will be doing highly-visible patrols and dedicating more staff to the area.
Wheeler said they saw many of these initiatives work in Old Town during that area's 90-day reset.
When asked about moving homeless people from one location to another, Wheeler stated the majority of homeless people, when offered shelter space, reject it and want to live outside. He said that’s why his plan to make designated campsites is so crucial.
KATU reporter Eric Mock asked Wheeler what happens after the 90-day mark.
"What you’ll see in the plan is there are actionable steps we’re taking in the first 90 days but then we also have a 4-12 month plan that follows on with the 90-day reset so you’ll see that this is intended to be an ongoing program,” Wheeler said.
“And so I am very confident that with those connections and with the relationships that we’ve been building with these processes, that we will be able to continue on knowing who to call for what, when and how to act as an advocate,” Briglio said.
Some of the goals listed in the report included:
- No obstructions on sidewalks, and any new trash or obstructions will be removed the same way
- Coordinating between the City and CEIC to create a security footage bank to help fight theft and other crimes
- Improved reporting of criminal activity
- Establishing a clear process for businesses to report and escalate issues
- Developing a way to address people living on the street with mental health issues by using referral programs and outreach
- Daily trash pick-up
- Abandoned vehicles will be removed
Co-owner of 'Cargo,' a direct import store in Central Eastside, Bridgid Blackburn said she's experienced a lot of these issues at her store.
“The thing we’ve really been struggling with are aggressive folks coming in doing shoplifting, low-grade property crimes, damaging the bathrooms, and that really accelerated over the past year or so,” Blackburn said.
But she says the fact that Portland leaders developed this plan with the Central Eastside Industrial Council, makes her hopeful it will actually work.
“Rather than them coming through and saying 'this is what we’re going to do for you,' they’re really asking 'what can you tell us what you need from the city,' and that’s a difference...and that really makes me feel like we’ve got a seat at the table," she said.