What saved this program was less about budgeting and more about tapping the power of transformation It was the little things that meant so much, Nova Sweet recalls. All the little things mothers who aren’t in prison take for granted. “They would let me ha ...
6 Aug 2015 - SR editorial board
Oregon lawmakers made a bold statement this session when they decided that all law enforcement agencies in the state must establish policies that prohibit profiling. This is less of an impact on Portland, where such a policy is already on the books, but i ...
10 Jul 2015 - SR editorial board
This month, a seldom-quoted document called the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness got a bit of a makeover. It’s only five years old, but the nation’s only comprehensive policy for addressing homelessness was falling behind the times. ...
29 Jun 2015 - SR editorial board
For many years, the budget process for Multnomah County was a painful study in having to do more with less. That is not the case for now. This year, Chair Deborah Kafoury’s 2016 proposed budget is $1.7 billion, with more than $90 million in expected new ...
12 Jun 2015 - SR editorial board
Homeless camp sweeps in Portland illustrate dearth of services available now Every year about this time, like clockwork, the City of Portland conducts annual camp sweeps in inner Southeast Portland, and eventually parts of downtown right before the Rose F ...
28 May 2015 - SR editorial board
Mayor Charlie Hales and the rest of City Council continue to send a message that housing matters. In his 2015-16 proposed budget, the mayor has allocated an additional $5.9 million on housing. This comes out of a nearly $50 million surplus the city has th ...
7 May 2015 - SR editorial board
What would Portland be like if instead of reacting to social problems, we intentionally planned for social success? What if we worked to ensure social and economic equity with each step forward, rather than scrambling to backfill the scars of gentrificati ...
1 May 2015 - SR editorial board
This year both the City of Portland and Multnomah County launched A Home For Everyone, a new plan to address housing and homelessness in our community. Mayor Charlie Hales and city housing commissioner, Dan Saltzman, along with Multnomah County Chair Debo ...
17 Apr 2015 - SR editorial board
This past November, a clear majority of Oregonian voters agreed to take formal action on what had been a fairly accepted social norm: That marijuana use shouldn’t be illegal. Its use shouldn’t result in being arrested, serving time and a criminal record. ...
9 Apr 2015 - SR editorial board
It was as if some long-lost, housing-positive energy descended upon City Hall this past Wednesday. It was the vote – or rather a series of votes – that reminded onlookers that housing for all once was — and should be again — a priority for our civic lead ...
2 Apr 2015 - SR editorial board