Portland Mayoral Hopefuls Diverge on Homelessness Solutions

As the city of Portland grapples with a growing homelessness crisis, five mayoral hopefuls are offering distinct approaches to address the issue. From utilizing the court system to compel people into shelters to implementing a "housing-first" model, the candidates are deeply divided on the best course of action.

At a recent Portland City Council workshop, hundreds of people shared their thoughts on the growing number of homeless encampments. Mayor Kate Snyder and the five mayoral hopefuls Mark Dion, Justin Costa, Andrew Zarro, Dylan Pugh, and Pious Ali all acknowledged the crisis and expressed their willingness to work with nearby municipalities and state government to tackle it.

The mayoral hopefuls' approaches to homelessness are shaped by their individual understandings of the issue. Mark Dion views homelessness as a "short-term crisis" that requires immediate solutions, including charging people with minor crimes for public camping and disorderly conduct to encourage them to seek shelter and counseling. He believes that sweeps of encampments will continue if he becomes mayor, but would work to improve the city's handling of sweeps.

Justin Costa also supports continuing sweeps, but has a different plan to move people into shelters. He would increase outreach efforts to encourage campers into rehab, shelters, or warm locations. Costa sees homelessness as both a short- and long-term problem, but believes that long-term solutions, like building transitional housing, are years away.

In contrast, Costa, Andrew Zarro, and Dylan Pugh support the "housing-first" model, which prioritizes getting people into stable transitional housing as the most effective way to address homelessness. Zarro proposes building 100 tiny homes that could be constructed in a day, using the city's housing trust fund and state money. Pugh would like to create a sanctioned encampment with amenities like bathrooms and clean drinking water, accompanied by outreach services and a safe-injection site.

Pious Ali agrees that community support will be crucial in addressing homelessness, but emphasizes the importance of working with local nonprofits to provide housing-first units, mental health services, and addiction counseling. He would increase police presence to provide safety and discouragement for campers.

Ultimately, the new mayor will have just one vote on the council, and consensus will be required to implement any of these plans.

Key Takeaways:

• Mark Dion views homelessness as a "short-term crisis" and proposes charging people with minor crimes to encourage them to seek shelter and counseling.
• Justin Costa continues sweeps but has a different plan to move people into shelters, increasing outreach efforts.
• Costa, Andrew Zarro, and Dylan Pugh support the "housing-first" model, prioritizing transitional housing.
• Pious Ali emphasizes working with local nonprofits to provide housing-first units, mental health services, and addiction counseling.
• All candidates agree that homelessness is a regional crisis requiring collaboration with nearby municipalities and state government.

Statistics:

• Over the past year, hundreds of tents have gone up, been taken down, and gone up again around the city.
• The city has faced a reluctance from those living in encampments to go to the new Homeless Services Center due to barriers to entry, such as policies against couples sleeping together or drug use on site.
• There is a significant need for transitional housing in Portland, with the current capacity unable to meet demand.
• Each of the mayoral hopefuls has a unique approach to addressing homelessness, shaped by their individual understanding of the issue.

Sources:

• The Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine):

* "Portland mayoral candidates address homelessness solutions at workshop" by Grace Benninghoff (October 2023)

* "Portland mayoral hopefuls weigh in on homelessness solutions" by Grace Benninghoff (October 2023)