What do the mayoral candidates have to say about the homeless day access center? Let’s find out.

Stakeholders in Old Town Chinatown—homeless advocates, the Chinese community, residents, business owners, developers, the PDC—have been at odds over where to site a homeless day access center, raising issues about process and power as they debate future development in the neighborhood. How would you, as city commissioner, handle such a hot button issue? What’s the solution for siting the homeless day access center?

Vladislav Davidzon
Position sought: Mayor
Website: ourportland.org
Public financing status: Not participating

I remain unconvinced that the model of creating concentrated homeless centers is the way to approach the problem. The goal ought to be integration, not creation of ghettos and clusters of poverty. Diversity equals stability, and I believe what the city must do is force developers to integrate a *significant* number of homeless housing units into every new condo or apartment building that goes up in our city. Integration, not separation is the answer – no more creation of centers of poverty.

The same approach ought to be taken with homeless services. Rather than creating separate (for we know how successful “separate but equal” programs have been) soup kitchens, we ought to look at integration by demanding that foot service industry provide a percentage of their revenues back to the community in the form of food services to the homeless. Something like for every a hundred burgers sold by Burgerville, one must be served free to a homeless person. Take the same exact approach towards medical services, mental health, etc. Integration must be the key goal, not separate but equal.

I also think the “Not In My Back Yard” syndrome is hard at play here and this is a time when elected public officials must do the job they were elected to do – make hard decisions.

-s

Jim Lee
Position sought: Mayor
Website: blogmayor.com
Public financing status: Not participating

I can only second Amanda Fritz on this one. Our current Council does not follow its own rules, ignores public interest, and goes out of its way to mess up major public issues.

Here are four in the past twelve months:

1. Charter review and “strong mayor” governance

2. Street renaming

3. Sam’s street tax plan

4. Homeless center

If we follow the rules and respect all interested parties we can work all such issues out.

Never have I seen a group this inept in 35 years of Council watching. We need five new Council members. We can get four in this election cycle.

And a special to Kyle: If you can’t tell where others’ rants stop and where mine begin you need new bleeping eyeballs! I’m the one with fixie components on my face.

I’m calling you out, Kyle Burris, for the Mayor’s Mile at Alpenrose in May. You’ll know who I am after I go by you four or five times. If you have the stones to show!

Sam Adams
Position sought: Mayor
Website: samforpdx.com
Public financing status: Not participating, capping contributions

As mayor my role would have two parts: First, facilitate a neighborhood-based decision. If that is not possible, be sure that I had thoroughly heard all perspectives before collaborating with my council colleagues on a final decision. During my tenure as city commissioner I have spent a lot of time in the city’s neighborhoods. One of things I have learned is that there is inherent leadership in our community. Perhaps nine times in ten neighborhood leaders do not need city hall to make their decisions for them. They simply need city hall to be a partner in facilitating a neighborhood-led decision. Occasionally neighborhood-based issues get so polarized elected leaders must end the debate with a final decision. These are always tough decisions but it is the council’s job to do that when necessary. When those rare and unfortunate situations occur, the tough decision I would add to the final council outcome would be grounded in a complete understanding of the issue based on the input from all sides.

The access center may prove to be one of those polarizing issues. I remain optimistic, however, that resolution can come from within the neighborhood. Homelessness and related issues are part of daily life in Old Town Chinatown and to date the neighborhood leadership has handled these issues extremely well. The list of those who have provided critical leadership through the years in various roles is long: Richard Harris, Gretchen Kafoury, Howard Weiner, Erik Sten, Bing Sheldon, and many, many more.

Portlanders have made the tough but honorable commitment to work to end homelessness and related challenges where other cities have simply sought to ignore it. The day access center is a part of that commitment.

When a home is found, we need to ensure the structure we build complements the important market-driven revitalization currently occurring in Old Town Chinatown. The city has worked hard to bring the University of Oregon, Mercy Corps, and others into the neighborhood.

As mayor I am confident the day access center is a benefit to all in the neighborhood. I think everybody concerned about the location of the day access center recalls that bigger picture and I am hopeful a neighborhood-based consensus will emerge shortly.

It’s the Portland way that I would be honored to nurture as mayor.

Craig Gier
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/craiggierformayor
Public financing status: Not participating

One thing that everyone involved needs to understand is that if they want to get past this problem they need to cut out the third grade behavior. They all want the problem solved without having it in their back yard. The site needs to be built in an area where it is most accesible to the people who need it. As mayor I would simply inform them that this issue needs to be solved as soon as possible. These are people we are dealing with, not property value decreasers. I would spearhead an effort to have the center(hopefully centers) placed and open with in 6 months of taking office. Lets face facts there is no shortage of space downtown. The current city officials have done that for us. So lets use up that space. If there is enough money for 50 million dollar tram their is money for this. This is a promise that I will keep. Thank you.

Kyle Burris
Position sought: Mayor
Website: site not up yet
Public financing status: Not participating

You want to know how we get this center built? We just fucking do it.

I would never think to waste the city's time, listening to the NIMBY whinings of developers or business owners. It was their greed and capitalism that put these people out on the streets in the first place. And now they want to tuck them away somewhere dark and quiet, to protect their own profit margins? Fuck that. As mayor, I will help the homeless where I want, when I want. Bourgeoisie be damned.

There is only one interest group I want to talk to about this center, and that's the homeless themselves. Good questions are being asked about the general location and fundamental nature of this center, and I want to pose them to people it's really going to affect. I want to do a massive sit down with the city's entire homeless population. I want to find out their wants and needs, their hopes and dreams. These people are human beings, and I'll take their word on the situation over some suited office worker any day.

Sho Dozono
Position sought: Mayor
Website: shoformayor.com
Public financing status: Received initial certification for public financing today

The issue of the homeless day access center in Chinatown is one of leadership and management in city government. I support the Chinese American community in their continued negotiation with the City about where the Day Access Shelter should be located. Block U seems to be a better solution to the issue than Block 25. It should be noted that the issue of homeless centers extends beyond Chinatown. As Mayor, I will work with neighborhood associations, citizen and community groups, and small business owners to have a transparent dialogue about the opening of such centers. Residents and business owners alike should not be blindsided by announcements that a homeless center will be next to them. Recognizing that there is some resistance to having a center near one's residence and business, there must be a thoughtful, trustful, open process about the needs of the neighborhood as the locations of homeless shelters and centers are being determined. Right now, the process and dialogue appears to be broken. As Mayor, I seek to restore trust between the government and the people so we can solve problems with civility and transparency.

Jeff Taylor
Position sought: Mayor
Website: portland123.com
Public financing status: Participated, has not submitted any contributions

Did not respond by deadline.

Beryl McNair
Position sought: Mayor
Website: none
Public financing status: Participated, did not submit any contributions

Did not respond by deadline.