JOINT RELEASE: Commissioners Mingus Mapps, Dan Ryan, & Rene Gonzalez Introduce Termination & Renegotiation Ordinance

JOINT RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland City Council Calls for Comprehensive Reform of Homeless Services

Commissioners Mingus Mapps, Dan Ryan, & Rene Gonzalez Introduce Termination & Renegotiation Ordinance

Portland, OR, Friday, November 1^st, 2024-For the past eight years, homeless services in Portland have failed to meet our community's needs. The Joint Office of Homeless Services Intergovernmental Agreement, now the Homelessness Response System Intergovernmental Agreement (HRS IGA), between the City of Portland and Multnomah County has proven ineffective. We believe it is time for a reset and a more effective approach.

As Portland City Commissioners with years of experience with the Joint Office of Homeless Services, we are resolute that we can no longer afford to maintain the status quo. We are also united in our repeated calls for accountability, efficiency, and improved governance to enhance our homeless services. Our collaborative efforts-ranging from establishing Safe Rest Villages, to participating on the Steering and Oversight Committee (SOC), to requesting clear roles and responsibilities in countless Council sessions-have highlighted the incomplete management of these services. And despite our repeated requests for clear and useful data, operational alignment for short-term shelters, and a shared vision for the homeless services system, we have faced significant challenges in implementing these necessary changes.

Multnomah County did not meet the milestones specified by Portland City Council by the October 15 deadline. This ongoing situation jeopardizes the new Mayor and new City Council's ability to enact the reforms necessary to address the critical needs of our community.

There are several key issues with the current agreement, including:

1. Unclear Roles: The agreement has failed to clearly define the responsibilities of both the City and County in addressing homelessness.

2. Real Data: We do not have a 'by-name' list of people living on our streets, so we have no real numbers of people who need help, what specific services they need, or a clear understanding of what to invest in.

3. Housing Vouchers for Safe Rest Villages: Promised housing vouchers for individuals in Safe Rest Villages have not materialized, leaving many without a path to permanent housing.

4. County Culture: Historically, the County has shown little desire to support Safe Rest Villages with their wrap around services, that are proven to move residents from chronic homelessness to stable housing.

5. Oversight Failure: Established oversight committees lack the authority and taxpayer representation needed for effective accountability and transparency.

6. County's Underspend: The County has struggled to get critical dollars to address homelessness out the door. According to Willamette Week's investigation, while they continued to receive City General Funds, just last summer they were on track to spend less than half of $123 Million from Metro. Metro insisted on a Corrective Action Plan.

In response to these failures, we filed an ordinance this week to be heard on November 7. This ordinance will initiate an orderly wind-down process of the HRS IGA, now set to conclude on June 30, 2025. The flowchart below outlines several high-level touchpoints in the process taking us from the current paradigm to a new summative IGA or collection of narrower IGAs. Importantly, no existing homeless services will be disruptedduring this orderly wind-down. We are committed to working together with the County, shelter operators, and service providers to develop an actionable, strategic plan that reflects our community's priorities and effectively addresses homelessness.

We recognize that the current state of affairs is not tenable, and it is imperative that we move beyond superficial revisions. This shift will leverage institutional knowledge, fresh leadership, and the new City governance structure to pave a better path forward for our community by improving homeless services and ultimately saving lives.

Read the Termination & Renegotiation Ordinance on the Council Agenda.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

Margaux Weeke
Communications Director, Office of Commissioner Dan Ryan
Cell phone: (971) 469-0758
Email: [email protected]

Nick Coffey
Policy Advisor, Office of Commissioner Rene Gonzalez
Cell phone: (503) 278-2942
Email: [email protected]

Andrew Baker
Communications Director, Office of Commissioner Mingus Mapps
Cell phone: (503) 865-6698
Email: [email protected]

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For reference: 191810 | Portland.gov