Commissioner Ryan's Closing Comments on the Joint Office of Homeless Services IGA

Press Release

Commissioner Ryan shares closing remarks regarding his decision to vote no on the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on July 3, 2024.

Commissioner Ryan's Closing Comments on the Joint Office of Homeless Services IGA

On July 3rd, 2024, Portland City Council voted 3 (yes) to 2 (No) on the Joint Office Of Homeless Services Intergovernmental Agreement.

Read Commissioner Ryan's closing statement on why he voted No.

I want to start by thanking Director Dan Field for his leadership of the Joint Office.  If Director Field was not at the helm, I would have never voted to extend the current IGA.  Thank you, Dan Field. 

I also want to thank Mayor Wheeler and specifically his team of Skyler Brock-Knapp and Sara Morrisey. You gave it a good fight and you did move the ball down the field a bit. As you know, at this time, I want it further down the field.

And, to my colleagues, I am proud to serve with all of you. This is a critical-thinking and thoughtful group. We were listening to one another the past few weeks. I seriously hope people noticed how deeply and authentically we dove into the most important issue facing our city and state.

Colleagues, I have said it before, and I will say it again-Portlanders. Want. Action.

We cannot continue to confuse and mislead Portlanders when it comes to the number one crisis facing our community. Policy decisions should be grounded in helping those suffering on our streets, and Portlanders impacted by those who are suffering. On behalf of people suffering outside and on behalf of people directly impacted by the humanitarian crisis on our streets, especially those families who feel helpless, I am here to reinforce that Portlanders do not want more of the same, and they don't want small tweaks to this agreement. 

Portlanders want the truth, they want us to adapt to the current conditions, and they want bold action. 

Since this revised IGA was brought to City Council, I have been pushing for three things: transparency, accountability, and good governance.

Portland, I will keep pushing, keep lifting your concerns, and I am going to be honest with you:  We are not delivering on your expectations. 

My amendment asked for 1 behavioral health expert who is not on the county payroll, 1 business sector representative who helped pass SHS funding in 2020 & has since felt shut out, and 1 individual taxpayer with a lived experience in homelessness and BH recovery. 

My call for transparency, accountability, and good governance was met with fear and pushback. I learned that, sadly, there are those who feel my friendly amendment disrupts the balance of power.  Well...that's exactly the point. System change work happens when you shake up the existing system of power, and that starts with changing who has a seat at the table. 

As amended, we will be signing up for an agreement that has not been working.  Because for the most part, we will be signing up for more of the same.  The only big win for the City is that the SHS dollars will pay for the Safe Rest Villages & TASS sites, a program I faced considerable headwinds implementing.  And, I am not talking about the neighbors, that is noble and understandable. I am talking about an uncooperative Joint Office staff whose behaviors delayed openings at every turn.

I am trying to have faith in this so-called win to pay for the villages. I will be monitoring like a hawk.

In reality, we need to stop relying on an antiquated, 2-decade-old model of homeless services that works for too few as the conditions on our streets have rapidly changed, even in the past three years as the cheap, accessible poisonous drugs have hit the streets. We must make adaptability a core value. We need to adjust to our post-SHS-Funds reality and invest in what works, like Safe Rest Villages. We need to choose common sense, Portland.

I am confident that I gave this Council every opportunity to get me to a yes on this vote. Portlanders deserve better-everyone sleeping outside tonight deserves better-and I look forward to continuing work to provide on-ramps to stable housing wherever I can.  My commitment to serving the unhoused community is unwavering.

If approved, there is little more than 90 days to prove the County can gain traction in a resistant culture and move towards results. In 3 months, I do not want to hear the same excuses on how this agreement is failing or how we are planning to plan.  I want to see results that demonstrate transparency, accountability, good governance-but most of all -results. 

And please understand, if in October we decide to terminate this agreement, services will continue. Ending this agreement would not leave people in limbo. 

Again, we have the right leader in Dan Field. And, we have a county chair who listens and will do dialogue. Thank you for your phone call yesterday, Chair Vega Pederson. And, thank you Chair and Mayor for hosting much-needed convenings between the two bodies on Homelessness.

I have faith the split votes we are currently experiencing from the elected bodies is a step. We have moved from a rubber stamping and playing numb, or nice, To ENGAGING deeply with critical thinking about the issue that our city and our state will sink or swim with. Director Field needs support from the elected public servants and from the community to create reform, and he needs staff that align to his vision. 

For several years, I have played nice and voted yes on this agreement while advocating for the same big three: Transparency, accountability, and balanced governance. The big three need to be operationalized in this resistance culture. My stance is one of disruption, not obstruction. Unfortunately, Today, the culture to deliver results is still not there. As such, in good faith, I cannot support this agreement-it simply will not make the impact Portland is expecting and deserves.

I hope to be proven wrong on October 15th.

The clock is ticking.

And, today, I vote no.

-Commissioner Dan Ryan