The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! GOOD AFTERNOON, PORTLAND! Expect the shy sun to finally poke its head out tomorrow along with more showers and a high of 53. Okay. LET'S DO SOME HEADLINES. IN LOCAL NEWS: •.
Mayor Ted Wheeler is flexing his executive powers this week to restructure the city's labyrinthine network of homeless support services. In a Wednesday press conference, Wheeler unveiled plans for a new Street Services Coordination Center, a program that will act as a nucleus for the city's multi-faceted work with its homeless population. "We must step up and admit, that despite our best intentions, things just are not improving as quickly as we'd like for the.
The city of Portland and Multnomah County are pooling their excess budget dollars to address the region's homelessness crisis. On Monday, the jurisdictions unveiled a $38 million funding package to create more shelter beds, fund homeless outreach workers, and increase behavioral health services for people living outside. "The houseless crisis has been chipping away at the city's soul for nearly a decade," said City Commissioner Dan Ryan at an afternoon press conference announcing this investment..