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Residents urge action on downtown livability, safety and services as shelter plans proceed
Summary
Four Portland residents testified July 22 about neighborhood safety, visible drug use and the impact on downtown property values and small-business livability; speakers urged better coordination of shelter openings with public-safety and cleanup plans and emphasized needs for seniors and caregiving support.
Four Portlanders testified during public comment at the July 22 Homelessness and Housing Committee meeting, telling committee members that visible drug activity, discarded paraphernalia and street disorder are affecting neighborhood livability, perceived safety and property values.
"Many of the people living on the street near us are driven by their addiction and the need to continually get more drugs," said Ray Bodwell, a downtown resident who described declining condo resale values and frequent street disorder near a downtown Safeway and other blocks. Bodwell said shelter beds alone would not resolve downtown conditions tied to substance…
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