Oregon leaders promise tougher stance on crime in Portland Business Alliance meeting

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – Government officials gathered Thursday for the 2023 Portland Business Alliance meeting. It focused on finding new ways and a new budget to help keep Portland streets clean.

In the meeting, Governor Tina Kotek and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson announced they will provide $2.5 million to the Clean Start Program operated by the Central City Concern.

“It creates job opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, provides peer mentoring and job skills and supporting their transition into stable housing,” said Governor Kotek. “We are all part of the solution to make the City of Portland, our largest city in our beautiful state, thrive succeed, and be the place it could be for everyone.”

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In addition to contributing to trash clean up, Kotek announced plans to help those experiencing homelessness.

“Our plan on top of all the work that has been going on is to additionally house 275 more households and 149 more shelters put online,” said Kotek.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler also addressed his plan to build temporary shelter sites that have showers, treatment resources and provide stability.

“What’s uniquely different about the temporary alternative sheltered sites they are in scale to address the magnitude of the need we see on our streets,” said Wheeler.

There will be three sites to start. The first is expected to open in July.

Mayor Wheeler also touted new regulations on unsanctioned camping starting July 1.

“The changes updates city code to prohibit all camping between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. It also bans camping at all hours in specified places and ensures access points to private property, as well as businesses remain clear,” said Wheeler. “Enforcement of this ordinance is intended to be a tool to connect people to appropriate resources while also addressing behavior that we know is damaging to our community.”

Community safety was also addressed. Mayor Wheeler announced that the Portland Police Bureau had hired over 200 personnel staff including 100 sworn officers.

“The Portland Police Bureau has brought back it’s Traffic Enforcement Division and increased the presence of officers on walking beats in the central city,” he said.

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According to updated statistics, property crime decreased by 12.5%, shootings in a Portland are down 24% and beginning July 1, there will be two new task forces focused on retail and auto theft.

“The people stealing from Fred Meyer and Target are going into small stores and stealing as well,” said Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt. “The reason I know these are going to be affective and we’re going to see immediate progress on both those is because we’re focusing and we’re targeting in a sustained way with investigative resources from across the region on the places that are actually driving a lot of this crime.”

Officials say they will continue to work to build a city people want to live in.

“Portland is a city filled with potential and promise we’re here for a reason let us not waste this opportunity to transform what we’re doing for the future of our city,” said Kotek.

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