Your weekly update editor has recovered from New Year’s festivities. My apologies for the late delivery. Happy New Year’s!
1) Greeley homeless camps update
2) OKNA Board meeting (Tuesday, Nov. 3)
1) Greeley homeless camps update
The City installed a barbed wire-topped fence around three sides of the camps just before the New Year. The Portland Tribune noted, “All eyes on Overlook homeless camp.”
Meanwhile, the empty Wapato Correctional Facility often comes up in discussions about where to house the homeless. Multnomah County owns the facility and issued an analysis that Wapato cannot be used for homeless services. The county claims:
- There are financial restrictions.
- The initial capital costs are prohibitive.
- Operational costs could be better spent on other facilities.
- The site is incompatible with nearby businesses.
- Wapato is not easily accessible to downtown and not well-served by transit.
Those arguments have not convinced backers of using Wapato to house the homeless who argue that it can be done if the will is there.
2) OKNA Board meeting (Tuesday, Nov. 3)
The Overlook Neighborhood Association Board will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday. Topics for discussion include the year-end report and an update on Greeley homeless camps, including outreach to other neighborhood associations.
OKNA Board meeting
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Overlook House (3839 N Melrose Dr.)