🥊 Another city vs. county battle over homelessness

Local Leaders Disagree on Alarming Homelessness Data

Recent data collected by Multnomah County show our city's homelessness crisis has continued to worsen, despite record levels of spending on homeless services in recent years. While both city and county governments are facing multimillion-dollar budget gaps and looming shelter closures, they're split on how to interpret the numbers. [OPB]

• The numbers: Approximately 3,000 more people are living unsheltered in our county than when Mayor Keith Wilson took office in January of last year, according to Multnomah County. Mayor Wilson argues the data "isn't matching up" and that visible homelessness on Portland streets has notably improved. [OPB]
• Related: Mayor Wilson ran on the promise of ending unsheltered homelessness in his first year by opening hundreds of overnight shelter beds. [Oregonian]
• The divide: The city and county have a long history of disagreeing on how to manage housing and homelessness in Portland — or even how to track them. Last year, the county moved away from a "point-in-time" count to a system tracking "anyone who touches the region’s homeless services," regardless of their situation. Mayor Wilson believes this has led to some inconsistencies, resulting in the county reporting larger numbers. However, some from the county argue they may still be undercounting and that it's likely unsheltered individuals are simply being pushed out of Portland proper. [OPB]
• Meanwhile: A St. Johns drop-in center run by county-contracted Do Good Multnomah has mounting complaints from neighbors. “This has taken over my life. I feel like I’m working for Multnomah County now and I don’t get paid,” said nearby business owner Lillie Barr. [KATU]

Turn! Turn! Turn! Saved by New Owners

Longtime Northeast Portland music venue Turn! Turn! Turn! announced new ownership last week after years of uncertainty about its future. Owners Joel Christerson and Annie Ostrowski are key players in our city's music scene and plan to preserve the venue's homey feel while revamping the menu. [Portland Mercury]

More Measles in the Greater Portland Area

The chance of measles exposure in the greater Portland area is growing. Recent confirmed exposure sites include a Safeway on SE Hawthorne, a cafe in West Linn, and a restaurant in Gresham. [OPB]

A New Weekly Downtown Art Market

Ceramics artists of all kinds will gather downtown this summer in Director Park for a weekly art market. Organized by ceramic studio Clay Commons, the program will run from June through September and feature other craft mediums during the last week of each month. [Oregonian]

Where To Find the Cheapest Groceries in Town

Today on the podcast, surprising findings after tracking local grocery store prices for a year, the U.S. Forest Service closing its Portland headquarters, and a few events to look forward to as the weather warms. Joining host Claudia Meza are Stumptown Savings founder Bryan M. Vance and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. [City Cast Portland 🎧]