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Kids love summer at Mittleman Jewish Community Center camps – Page 5 Operetta ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’ sets sail for Multnomah Village – Page 4 Casa Vaca Taqueria opens in Multnomah Village – Page 7 The Southwest Portland Post Volume No. 24 Issue No. 8 www.swportlandpost.com Portland, Oregon Complimentary June 2016 Mayor Hales decides to close Sears homeless shelter in Multnomah Menashe family offers temporary housing for 180 people downtown to fill the gap housing crisis that has priced people out of their homes. “The Menashe family Mayor Charlie Hales announced is the embodiment of May 24 that the city of Portland the spirit that makes will be opening an additional Portland special,” 180 beds in the existing Peace Hales said. “I thank Shelter, in downtown Portland. them for their The beds will be available for commitment to the women and couples. Transition community, and to Projects, Inc. is contracted to operate helping those in need. the Peace Shelter, which is open Their generosity overnight from 6:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. is incredible.” The opening comes in time to Under the state After convening an emergency meeting, Portland mayor Charlie Hales (far left) decided to the close the Sears accommodate those who were staying of emergency, the homeless shelter on May 31. Also pictured are Stacy Borke, Marc Jolin and Deborah Kafoury. at the Sears shelter in Multnomah M a y o r ’ s O f f i c e (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand) Village. continues to identify Per the mayor ’s commitment to several more months. was never fully completed and would properties for shelters and city- the neighborhood and an agreement A deed between the former owner, take at least $10 million to bring it up sanctioned campsites. with the federal government, which the Department of Defense, and the to standards. Over the past six months, 575 new deeded the building to the City, the city of Portland explicitly said that the “It doesn’t have an egress, the beds have opened and two new temporary shelter for women and former Sears Armory could only be place is meant to keep people in, and camping areas were formed. Mayor couples was scheduled to close May 31. used as an emergency shelter for six besides, it’s 23 miles from Gresham–far Hales’ goal is to have 800 more shelter The Peace Shelter is a temporary months. The city would have to get from any services.” Kafoury explained beds open by the end of the year. l o c a t i o n p ro v i d e d b y M e n a s h e special permission for any extension. that the state is still paying off the Properties. Before the expansion, the A p p ro x i m a t e l y 7 0 n e i g h b o r s bonds. Multnomah holds space provided 80 beds for homeless packed the room and were joined Hales, who arrived a bit late, emergency meeting men. The Peace Shelter will now provide by local television and newspaper explained additional solutions for the 260 overnight spaces for homeless photographers. “I’m sure you don’t homeless situation. men and women. It closes in July. want the residents to go back out on “We budgeted $350 million over the A n e m e rg e n c y n e i g h b o rh o o d Initially, the Menashe family offered the street,” Kafoury said. next ten years for affordable housing, meeting was held May 19 at the the space after Mayor Hales declared Kafoury initially was joined by and more money for park rangers Multnomah Center to discuss the Sears a state of emergency in housing and Transition Projects manager Stacy and for the Office of Neighborhood shelter. Multnomah County Chair homelessness, answering the call Borke and Marc Jolin, the director Involvement,” he said. Deborah Kafoury began the meeting for a community-wide response to a for A Home for Everyone. The panel As the meeting was happening, it requesting the shelter stay open for presented a transitional plan where was reported that there were six police the residents would go next. cars in the lot of the shelter. A tent was A site on Southeast McLoughlin set up on the lawn. Boulevard would house couples and Police and fire personnel have been single women, an inner northeast site constant fixtures at the site, according near transit lines would house others, to neighbors. They deal with overdoses and a third site would provide single and fights. Safeway has recorded women a safe place at a downtown higher levels of theft. site. “ We s t H i l l s C h r i s t i a n S c h o o l “These will not be ready for a padlocked its gates to their athletic few months,” explained Jolin, who field,” reported a woman who used to was hired by the county to provide walk her dog on the track. housing solutions. “We have been Comments varied from person to working on the details.” person, depending on the proximity “We’ve never done this before,” to the site. Some community members confessed Kafoury. “We don’t do have packed sack lunches and served shelters.” up occasional dinners. Wapato (the $58 million county jail Neighborhood House executive that never opened) was brought up as director Rick Nitti said that out of a solution as it was six months earlier. compassion neighbors should give “First of all,” Kafoury explained, the Sears homeless shelter three more “the decision to build Wapato didn’t months. The former Sears Armory building has served as a homeless shelter for the past six months. (Post file photo by Erik Vidstrand) happen on my watch. The building (Continued on Page 3) By Erik Vidstrand and Don Snedecor The Southwest Portland Post This could be a banner month for your business Yes you can...buy a 4-color banner ad on the front page of the Southwest Portland Post. Call Don Snedecor at 503-244-6933 or email ads@multnomahpost.com for details. Deadline for July is June 20.
