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How has new city manager Danielle West dealt with Portland’s homeless crisis and staff shortages?

How has new city manager Danielle West dealt with Portland’s homeless crisis and staff shortages?

Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio


The city of Portland has been bombarded with an influx of asylum seekers, job post vacancies, home shortages, as well as the homeless crisis.

According to Portland Press Herald, Danielle West, the new city manager of Portland, says she is ready and more than capable to take on these issues.

New city manager Danielle West takes these matters head-on, as she decided to target problems circling the homeless encampment in the Bayside Trail.

After weeks of city meetings and public responses, the encampment, made up of 80 tents, was cleared by Danielle West this past month. She says that this was a very “difficult decision”, but there was no other “possible path” as she spoke on how “health” and “safety” are her top priorities.

A city’s engagement team and task force are being set up for helping individuals in these encampments get the help they need.

Six hundred and fifty-four emergency shelter beds are being provided by the city of Portland for homeless people and asylee individuals. West expressed how the city can’t deal with this issue in solitary and hopes to get regional and statewide support.

Additionally, West is tackling the city’s 250 vacant posts. West’s first step will be filling top positions of the police chief and the department heads in public works. In filling these top jobs, she hopes that it will help in the lower-level posts being filled.

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