Now that the mayor’s Street Access For Everyone committee has passed its barely constitutional law to outlaw sitting and lying on the sidewalk, it’s got to push on to build a permanent center for people so they have somewhere to go. Here’s a fascinating exchange between Doreen Binder, Executive Director of Transition Projects, Inc (which is supposed to be running the center when it eventually gets built) and Central Precinct Commander Mike Reese, from this morning’s downtown public safety committee:

Binder: “I sat on the mayor’s SAFE committee and I’ve supported the process, yet when push came to shove and the police came to move people, it really disturbed me. I don’t know the answers, any more. It has to be done, but there is a distinct difference between those who are dealing crack, and those who are homeless.”

Binder: “And I really wish there was a way to deal with the drugs and to get people into treatment. It was really disturbing to me to watch and support this, the process of having people roused and moved from the streets. I just wish that we could find more money for treatment. I was surprised at how upset I got to watch people being asked to leave.”

Central Precinct commander Mike Reese responded: “We have a dilemma in the police bureau because there’s no, when we say you can’t sleep under the Burnside Bridge tonight, where do we tell them to go?”

Binder: “The ten year plan talks about having an access center. For God’s sakes, get it done. Kyle [Chisek—the mayor’s staffer]: Get the goddamn building done already. It needs to happen, and it needs to happen now. We have this tendency in government to delay things forever. You cannot keep moving people from one place to another. The SAFE committee was great, but let’s get this thing built.”

Of course, if the mayor’s office had put its energies into working with Commissioner Erik Sten to get it done, instead of wasting millions of dollars on a law nobody is happy with (except for the Portland Business Alliance) then we might be a lot closer to having the day access center, now. Still, Potter’s retiring. Thanks a lot, douche-bag.