Mayor Wheeler and Commissioner Ryan co-sponsored five resolutions to fast-track construction of affordable housing and move homeless Portlanders closer to services. They were passed by City Council on November 3, 2022.
Resolutions
1. Establish key actions to increase affordable housing construction
Reduce the 5-year average waiting lists to get into affordable housing by catalyzing the construction of 20,000 units of housing by 2033. Key actions include identifying and land-banking up to 400 publicly owned sites that are shovel-ready for development, speeding permitting of nonprofit and private multifamily housing developments, and requesting assistance from the Oregon Governor and State Legislature to increase statewide funding and expand local options to fund affordable housing.
2. Assess options to increase coordination and enhance unhoused access to paid non-standard work
Work with partners to assess and explore a system to better structure gig and itinerant work (non-standard work) so that the needs of workers are prioritized, and more people can successfully participate in, benefit from, and advance in the labor market.
3. Connect mental health and substance abuse recovery services to unhoused individuals
Change City’s outdoor camping protocols to better connect homeless individuals with available sanitary, mental health, and substance abuse recovery services and banning self-sited encampments with designated alternative locations (e.g., emergency shelter, Safe Rest Villages, designated sanctioned campsites).
Learn more about the behavioral health crisis system and potential 2023 legislative efforts to improve the system via Dialogue #1 and Dialogue #2.
4. Create a diversion program for individuals experiencing homelessness
Request assistance from stakeholders, including the Multnomah County District Attorney (“MCDA”) and other experts providing community-based homeless, mental health and substance abuse recovery services, to create a services diversion program by offering people cited for low level offenses more opportunities to address pending legal issues and related collateral consequences outside of the criminal legal system.
Commits the City to a multi-jurisdictional conversation and advocacy to meet Oregon’s housing and houselessness crisis.
In the News
![Oregonian Quote: "The multi-pronged strategy forwarded by Mayor Ted Wheeler to build outdoor sites for homeless campers and eventually ban unsanctioned camping... [is] a plan for helping solve the reality we're in right now.](/sites/default/files/styles/max_320w/public/2023/copy-of-report-33.png?itok=3TITYMZQ)
Oregonian: Editorial: A homelessness strategy for our current reality
Willamette Week: Poll Commissioned by Business Owners Says Portlanders Support Mayor’s Planned Camping Ban
KGW: Business owners react to Portland mayor's homeless plan
Additional Documents
Mayor's Office Community Stakeholder Meeting #2 - presentation