Portland, Multnomah County will pour $40M of unanticipated business taxes into helping, housing, cleaning up after homeless people
Tents line a sidewalk in Old Town on Aug. 25, 2020. The number of tents around downtown Portland has grown as the city has limited cleanups of homeless camps during the pandemic. (Photo by Jamie Goldberg)
Portland and Multnomah County leaders said Monday they are preparing to pour nearly $40 million of unexpected tax revenue into advising and housing those experiencing homelessness as well cleaning up garbage and debris generated by current and former encampments.
Details of the expansive one-time spending plan emerged during a frigid press conference held by Mayor Ted Wheeler, County Chair Deborah Kafoury and City Commissioner Dan Ryan beneath the eastern span of the Hawthorne Bridge.