Multnomah County officials respond to city's move to end homeless services contract

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Multnomah County officials are responding to Portland City Council's move to possibly break its multi-million dollar contract with the county's Joint Office of Homeless Services.

City commissioners Mingus Mapps, Dan Ryan and Rene Gonzalez expressed their disproval of the city's current relationship with the Joint Office. Specifically, that it wasn't getting the results they were looking for.

On Wednesday, all three told the city attorney to draft an ordinance to withdraw the city from its multi-year, $31 million contract with the JOHS.

Dan Field, the director of the Joint Office, said he understands their frustrations with the struggles on the streets. But he added the office is finally starting to gain momentum.

"There's no question that the Joint Office and the Supportive Housing Services measure got off to a rocky start," he said. "But we've been rehousing and sheltering people at a faster rate than ever before."

He pointed to a 76% increase in the number of people who have gone into permanent supportive housing, as well as the investments made in recovery and employment programs. Additionally, he said if the city were to withdraw from this agreement, it would be tricky to continue to fund city programs, which benefit from it.

"If that partnership dissolves, how will that money flow and how will the city backfill its own budget?" said Field. "I think all that would come back on the table if the city decides to pull out of the intergovernmental agreement."

In response to the criticisms from the three city commissioners that they're not seeing the results, Field argued those concerns are exactly the reason they should not terminate the agreement.

"I think nobody's going to be satisfied while we have people sleeping on our streets and of course, we wish we were moving more quickly," he said. "That's exactly the reason why pulling out now is the wrong, wrong choice."

In a Multnomah County board meeting on Thursday, some of the county commissioners responded to the news.

"What I heard was a commitment to the relationship and to the goal, but that it needed to be an agreement that was more effective in terms of getting at our ultimate goal, and more clearly defining our roles and accountability to each other," said Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards.

Commissioner Sharon Meieran also weighed in, believing that breaking up the JOHS will lead to more accountability and clarity between the city and county's roles for homeless services, plus provide an opportunity for authentic collaboration.

"I think there was a lot of fear expressed that the sky will fall that everything will fall apart if there is withdrawal from this agreement," she said. "I personally believe the opposite will happen."

Meanwhile, County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson called the move a political stunt for the candidates. Mayor Ted Wheeler chimed in as well, calling the idea, "shortsighted."