Council delays vote on homeless shelter expansion plan March 11 2021
A second hearing on the proposal is added after concerns grow that too many new shelters will be sited in East Portland.
The City Council has scheduled an additional hearing on a controversial proposal to allow more homeless shelters, including sanctioned campsites, in most of Portland.
The first hearing on the Shelter to Housing Continuum Project is scheduled for Wednesday, March 17, as originally planned. But, largely because of concerns that a disproportionate number of new shelters could be sited in East Portland, the council has now scheduled another hearing on March 24, when the final vote was set to take place. That is now tentatively scheduled for March 31.
Homeless solution debate heats up
Regional push for housing prompts more options, but some are questioning proposed new city policy.
The Portland City Council is expected to vote in February to clear the way for more homeless shelters, sanctioned outdoor campsites and alternative group living arrangements to be established in almost every part of Portland.
The appointed citizen Planning and Sustainability Commission already has held a briefing, two public hearings and a work session on the Shelter to Housing Continuum Project. It is intended to rewrite existing city regulations to allow such housing to be built more quickly, including where it is currently prohibited, such as in commercial zones.