For the second consecutive meeting, the Portland City Council voted down an emergency order that would have temporarily expanded the “Homeless Services Center” on Riverside Street by 50 beds for three weeks until a new shelter opens.The 4-4 vote came after Councilor Regina Phillips, who cast the deciding vote against the order on Oct. 2 in a 5-4 vote, reversed her position and put the order before the council for reconsideration. Councilor April Fournier, who voted in favor of the order in the previous meeting, was absent on Monday.The expansion would have lasted until Nov. 20, when the new 180-bed shelter for asylum seekers is expected to be open on the Riverside Industrial Parkway. The new shelter is expected to house the asylum seekers currently at the HSC, which would free up more beds for the city’s domestic homeless population.The vote comes as the encampment on the Marginal Way park-and-ride is slated to be swept on Nov. 1 by the state Department of Transportation.The order’s supporters included Mayor Kate Snyder, who said that with the upcoming sweep, the city should act to protect unhoused individuals from the coming cold weather.”What I’m trying to do is get us to a place where there’s a choice and there’s the opportunity to move quickly, to connect someone to shelter,” Snyder said.Opponents included Councilor Anna Trevorrow, who says shelters like the Homeless Services Center can present barriers to individuals, such as exacerbating past traumas and PTSD.”Expanding capacity from here really needs to be done in a sort of smaller shelter model where we can really address those barriers that we’re hearing,” Trevorrow said.City DHHS Director Kristen Dow spoke in favor of the order, saying the temporary expansion would give unhoused people in the Marginal Way encampment a choice to avoid the cold before the sweep.”Fifty beds is not going to solve the problem that we are facing, but it will give 50 people in our city who are sleeping outside the ability to choose to go there,” Dow said.City councilor and mayoral candidate Andrew Zarro voted against the order, along with fellow councilor and candidate Mark Dion. Councilor and mayoral candidate Pious Ali voted in favor.In explaining his position, Zarro cited the upcoming Riverside Industrial Parkway shelter and the 180 beds it will soon bring.”It’s hard for me to want to act now with the price tag that is accompanying this emergency investment, knowing that in a few weeks’ time, we are going to see a significant number of beds available at the HSC,” Zarro said.Former councilor and mayoral candidate Justin Costa attended the meeting and said afterward that the council’s inaction puts those living in encampments like the Marginal Way in danger.”The clock is absolutely ticking and it’s been ticking for months,” Costa said. “We’re just not seeing decisions coming out of the council. And that’s really unfortunate because this is an urgent situation. We can’t wait for the perfect solution. We need to be acting now.”
For the second consecutive meeting, the Portland City Council voted down an emergency order that would have temporarily expanded the “Homeless Services Center” on Riverside Street by 50 beds for three weeks until a new shelter opens.
The 4-4 vote came after Councilor Regina Phillips, who cast the deciding vote against the order on Oct. 2 in a 5-4 vote, reversed her position and put the order before the council for reconsideration.
Councilor April Fournier, who voted in favor of the order in the previous meeting, was absent on Monday.
The expansion would have lasted until Nov. 20, when the new 180-bed shelter for asylum seekers is expected to be open on the Riverside Industrial Parkway. The new shelter is expected to house the asylum seekers currently at the HSC, which would free up more beds for the city’s domestic homeless population.
The vote comes as the encampment on the Marginal Way park-and-ride is slated to be swept on Nov. 1 by the state Department of Transportation.
The order’s supporters included Mayor Kate Snyder, who said that with the upcoming sweep, the city should act to protect unhoused individuals from the coming cold weather.
“What I’m trying to do is get us to a place where there’s a choice and there’s the opportunity to move quickly, to connect someone to shelter,” Snyder said.
Opponents included Councilor Anna Trevorrow, who says shelters like the Homeless Services Center can present barriers to individuals, such as exacerbating past traumas and PTSD.
“Expanding capacity from here really needs to be done in a sort of smaller shelter model where we can really address those barriers that we’re hearing,” Trevorrow said.
City DHHS Director Kristen Dow spoke in favor of the order, saying the temporary expansion would give unhoused people in the Marginal Way encampment a choice to avoid the cold before the sweep.
“Fifty beds is not going to solve the problem that we are facing, but it will give 50 people in our city who are sleeping outside the ability to choose to go there,” Dow said.
City councilor and mayoral candidate Andrew Zarro voted against the order, along with fellow councilor and candidate Mark Dion. Councilor and mayoral candidate Pious Ali voted in favor.
In explaining his position, Zarro cited the upcoming Riverside Industrial Parkway shelter and the 180 beds it will soon bring.
“It’s hard for me to want to act now with the price tag that is accompanying this emergency investment, knowing that in a few weeks’ time, we are going to see a significant number of beds available at the HSC,” Zarro said.
Former councilor and mayoral candidate Justin Costa attended the meeting and said afterward that the council’s inaction puts those living in encampments like the Marginal Way in danger.
“The clock is absolutely ticking and it’s been ticking for months,” Costa said. “We’re just not seeing decisions coming out of the council. And that’s really unfortunate because this is an urgent situation. We can’t wait for the perfect solution. We need to be acting now.”
