Portland’s homeless may not have to give up their favorite patch of sidewalk just yet.
City Commissioner Randy Leonard today asked the City Council to put off enforcing a new city ordinance that forbids people sitting and lying on busy downtown sidewalks. Police are set to start enforcing the rule this Saturday.
“I do not believe any of you agreed to the hasty, enforcement-centric approach currently being undertaken by the Police Bureau and the Portland Business Alliance,” Leonard says in a letter to his fellow commissioners.
The commissioners originally agreed the ordinance shouldn’t go into effect until new facilities for the homeless are put in place. They include new benches, public restrooms and a day center.
Leonard says those projects are behind schedule and the city shouldn’t enforce the sit-lie ordinance till they’re ready. The council is expected to vote on Leonard’s resolution June 13—five days after cops are set to start enforcing the sit-lie rule.
Portland Police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz says he doesn’t know whether the pending resolution will change police plans to enforce the ordinance.
If approved, the resolution would delay enforcement till the benches, restrooms and day center are in place. The City Council passed the sit-lie ordinance May 9, with Leonard the sole dissenting vote.
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