Latest news with #MultnomahCounty
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City, county leaders: Not ‘enough resources' to tackle Portland homless crisis
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Shrinking budgets are making it difficult for local leaders to tackle the homeless crisis in Portland. On Friday, the Portland City Council and the Multnomah County Board held a joint meeting at Portland City Hall to address the local response to homelessness. While leaders acknowledged some gains have been made, there are still many issues that are difficult to address without more funding. USDA buys $16M of Oregon shrimp to help fishermen For instance, recent reports reveal more people have been getting into shelters and have been kept in to permanent housing longer. However, data also shows most of those leaving shelters end up back on the streets. The cost to fix these issues is simply too high to create a dent in the problem, leaders say. 'I think I'm having an existential moment. Just the astounding amount of money being spent here, with the trend line going down,' said District 4 Portland City Councilor Olivia Clark. 'It's astounding, and I don't think that in the long run we're going to be able to afford this. It means that we're going to start eating programs.' As both the city and county are grappling with a suffocating budget cycle, leaders are forced to reevaluate their ambitious goals for the Joint Homelessness Response Action Plan. 'We're both in the middle of our budget processes and I think it's the right time to ask, are we aligning our resources in the best way to actually reduce unsheltered homelessness?' Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards told KOIN 6 News ahead of the meeting. The meeting comes as two new reports have surfaced. One is the quarterly report for the , released this month. Another is the Multnomah County Supportive Housing Services reporter for Quarter 3 of FY 2025. The reports show that while 14,000 people were sheltered in the past year, only 1,200 adults leaving those shelters found permanent housing. OR Congress members urge FEMA approval for floods 'Right now, there's more people going into homelessness than exiting, so we absolutely, between the city and county, have to align, in my view, align against a plan that we're going to be getting the number of people who are unsheltered on a downward trend and the people who are on a path to housing on an upward trend,' Brim-Edwards said. Mayor Keith Wilson said the city has 'not met this moment,' noting that the number of people served in the city's adult homeless response shelter system has not significantly changed since 2017, when the Joint Office was created. However, during that same time period, Wilson said the city saw a 330% rise in unsheltered homelessness. 'This is a shelter capacity issue, but this is also an engagement issue,' Wilson said. 'We're not getting people through the system, into their families, treatment or permanent housing.' Wilson added that the amount of money spent between the city and county to address homelessness today is about 10 times what it was back in 2017. And yet, 'all we've seen is additional suffering and dying on our streets.' In Multnomah County, a total of $354 million is currently being invested in reducing homelessness, including $30 million from a . However, there is still a shortfall of needed services, officials said. Samaritan responds to outcry amid possible closures Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said she moved $16.7 million from the Multnomah County general fund to help address that budget gap but it's still not enough. 'That still leaves a $32.2 million gap. This is much better than the 25% gap. Nonetheless, we don't have enough resources right now to meet the needs in our current budget,' Vega Pederson said. In addition, city and county leaders have , which is still pending. Chair Vega Pederson emphasized the need for continued state investment to address the homelessness crisis effectively. 'If Multnomah County isn't able to solve homelessness, if the City of Portland isn't able to solve homelessness, then the region fails on this issue. The entire state fails on this issue. It is not just a question of fairness. It's imperative that we receive the resources that we know we need to make an impact on a complex problem that our community wants to see changed,' Vega Pederson said. Oregon Food Bank, Rep. Dexter decry proposed tax bill The goal is to expand shelter beds to 362 and move 2,600 people into housing annually, officials said. However, budget experts with the county estimate that each individual person placed into housing would cost $13,000 since social security and disability checks no longer cover the cost of rising rents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City, county leaders: Not ‘enough resources' to tackle Portland homless crisis
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Shrinking budgets are making it difficult for local leaders to tackle the homeless crisis in Portland. On Friday, the Portland City Council and the Multnomah County Board held a joint meeting at Portland City Hall to address the local response to homelessness. While leaders acknowledged some gains have been made, there are still many issues that are difficult to address without more funding. USDA buys $16M of Oregon shrimp to help fishermen For instance, recent reports reveal more people have been getting into shelters and have been kept in to permanent housing longer. However, data also shows most of those leaving shelters end up back on the streets. The cost to fix these issues is simply too high to create a dent in the problem, leaders say. 'I think I'm having an existential moment. Just the astounding amount of money being spent here, with the trend line going down,' said District 4 Portland City Councilor Olivia Clark. 'It's astounding, and I don't think that in the long run we're going to be able to afford this. It means that we're going to start eating programs.' As both the city and county are grappling with a suffocating budget cycle, leaders are forced to reevaluate their ambitious goals for the Joint Homelessness Response Action Plan. 'We're both in the middle of our budget processes and I think it's the right time to ask, are we aligning our resources in the best way to actually reduce unsheltered homelessness?' Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards told KOIN 6 News ahead of the meeting. The meeting comes as two new reports have surfaced. One is the quarterly report for the , released this month. Another is the Multnomah County Supportive Housing Services reporter for Quarter 3 of FY 2025. The reports show that while 14,000 people were sheltered in the past year, only 1,200 adults leaving those shelters found permanent housing. OR Congress members urge FEMA approval for floods 'Right now, there's more people going into homelessness than exiting, so we absolutely, between the city and county, have to align, in my view, align against a plan that we're going to be getting the number of people who are unsheltered on a downward trend and the people who are on a path to housing on an upward trend,' Brim-Edwards said. Mayor Keith Wilson said the city has 'not met this moment,' noting that the number of people served in the city's adult homeless response shelter system has not significantly changed since 2017, when the Joint Office was created. However, during that same time period, Wilson said the city saw a 330% rise in unsheltered homelessness. 'This is a shelter capacity issue, but this is also an engagement issue,' Wilson said. 'We're not getting people through the system, into their families, treatment or permanent housing.' Wilson added that the amount of money spent between the city and county to address homelessness today is about 10 times what it was back in 2017. And yet, 'all we've seen is additional suffering and dying on our streets.' In Multnomah County, a total of $354 million is currently being invested in reducing homelessness, including $30 million from a . However, there is still a shortfall of needed services, officials said. Samaritan responds to outcry amid possible closures Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said she moved $16.7 million from the Multnomah County general fund to help address that budget gap but it's still not enough. 'That still leaves a $32.2 million gap. This is much better than the 25% gap. Nonetheless, we don't have enough resources right now to meet the needs in our current budget,' Vega Pederson said. In addition, city and county leaders have , which is still pending. Chair Vega Pederson emphasized the need for continued state investment to address the homelessness crisis effectively. 'If Multnomah County isn't able to solve homelessness, if the City of Portland isn't able to solve homelessness, then the region fails on this issue. The entire state fails on this issue. It is not just a question of fairness. It's imperative that we receive the resources that we know we need to make an impact on a complex problem that our community wants to see changed,' Vega Pederson said. Oregon Food Bank, Rep. Dexter decry proposed tax bill The goal is to expand shelter beds to 362 and move 2,600 people into housing annually, officials said. However, budget experts with the county estimate that each individual person placed into housing would cost $13,000 since social security and disability checks no longer cover the cost of rising rents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Panic as world's deadliest disease hits US school
A case of tuberculosis has been confirmed in a school in Oregon. State officials confirmed a person infected with an active TB infection was recently present at Lane Middle School in Southeast Portland. Officials are yet to specify whether the person was a student, staff or faculty and when exactly they were present on the premises. It is believed the individual may have been contagious between September 3, 2024 to May 1, 2025 and during this time, they could have exposed others to TB. The patient's close contacts have been contacted by the local health department and free blood tests will be offered to the school community in the coming weeks. Multnomah County Health Officer Dr Richard Bruno assured people that in most cases, casual contact with a person diagnosed with TB will not lead to infection. He added: 'And most people who become infected will never become ill with TB, especially with current medication regimens. 'While TB can be spread in school settings, we expect that anyone infected would not yet be ill and could be effectively treated with medication.' TB is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. It mainly affects the lungs and can also cause damage to the brain, spinal cord and lymph nodes. The infection is transmitted through the air when infected people cough or speak. TB kills more people worldwide than any other infectious disease — around 2million annually. Over 80 percent of cases and deaths are in low- and middle-income countries in South East Asia, Africa and the Western Pacific region. In the US, over 10,000 Americans were diagnosed with the infection and 565 died in 2024, according to the CDC. Those with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition or diabetes, have a higher risk of falling ill. TB cases have been increasing both globally and in the US due to higher international travel and migration. In 2024, Oregon reported 87 cases of TB according to the Oregon Health Authority and the CDC. This is a 16.7 percent increase compared to 2023, and the second consecutive year of increase. Children, older people and those with weak immune systems are most at risk of contracting TB - leading to permanent lung damage, even after successful treatment. TB is mostly spread through an exchange of germs containing the bacteria through the atmosphere. Symptoms of active TB in the lungs usually begin gradually and worsen over a few weeks and signs can include coughing up blood or mucus, chest pains, pain with breathing or coughing, fever, chills and night sweats. People can protect themselves against TB by getting the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, but it is not generally not on the vaccination schedule in the US due to the low risk of infection. If infected, patients are asked to remain isolated and must take antibiotics for six months to treat TB. If left untreated, the bacterial infection can damage the lungs and spread to other parts of their body such as the brain, kidneys and spine. Some people become infected with TB germs that live in the body for years without causing illness. This is known as inactive TB or latent TB. However without treatment, one in 10 people with inactive TB will get sick with active TB disease, according to the CDC.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Third body recovered from Willamette River this month
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A body was recovered from the Willamette River early Saturday afternoon, making it the third one recovered this month. Just after 2:30 p.m., Multnomah County Sheriff's deputies received a call about the body in the Willamette River at Cathedral Park. After recovering the body, the remains were transferred to the Medical Examiner, who will work to determine identity and cause of death. Portland Fire unveils new water lance that can 'pierce through' metal to combat EV fires While this marks the third body found floating in the Willamette this month, it's also the second found at the same location. The sheriff's office said an increase in water recoveries can be credited to increased water activity and warming temperatures. 'A joy yet a threat': How Portland Fire and Rescue is preparing to save swimmers in distress this summer 'Warmer water accelerates the natural decomposition process, which can cause bodies to rise to the surface more quickly,' they said. 'As the weather improves, more individuals engage in activities on and near the water, such as fishing and boating. This increased presence of people leads to a higher likelihood of previously undiscovered remains being observed and reported.' Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘I love my baby': Parents face prison time in fentanyl overdose of toddler
PORTLAND, Ore. () — A mother and father were finally sentenced after their son suffered a non-lethal fentanyl overdose back in 2023. pleaded guilty to assault and criminal mistreatment earlier this year. Skin care customers share tales of 'threats, lies'v Back in 2023, investigators say Smith and Kelley's three-year-old suffered a fentanyl overdose. Their child, now 5-years-old, has permanent brain damage and needs around-the-clock care. Smith and Kelley made a deal with the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, to turn themselves in on April 4, after they had pled guilty. 'We would give the parents time to get their affairs in order. And part of the risk that someone takes is that they may not show up,' Afton Coppedge with the D.A.'s office said. That's exactly what happened; the pair didn't turn themselves in until April 28, several weeks after their agreed-upon sentencing date. MultCo overpaid more than $78K on recruiting: Report 'Mr. Kelly and Ms. Smith knew what the consequence of not showing up was, and still made that choice,' Coppedge said. 'And when someone decides not to show up, the negotiated agreement goes away.' During their appearance Friday, Kelley claimed the reason they missed that sentencing was because Smith needed more time to get clean. 'She needed a lot more time than was asked for. And, you know, we knew that the decision was going to be tough and it wasn't going to be pretty,' De'lone Kelley said. 'They're going to be in custody longer, they're not going to be available to their child in the same way that they would have been had they showed up at sentencing,' Coppedge said. Former Blazer launches new training program Kelley told the judge he hopes something comes out of their case. 'You guys are going to need people like us to hold other people accountable and to make sure that stuff like this don't ever happen to anybody else, or another child or another parent,' Kelley said. Samantha Smith will spend just over 4 years in prison, while De'Lone Kelley was sentenced to just over 6 years. Both parents expressed their love for their son in court Friday. 'I just want to say I'm sorry for everything. And if I could take time back and stuff, I would. And, I love my baby. I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy. I just want to do better in life and my future for my family and myself and my kids,' Smith said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
