91视频

Portland developer Homer Williams has been making a lot of calls lately, lobbying support for what would be a massive public-private effort to shelter the city’s growing homeless population. The $100 million idea unveiled this week would add a full-service shelter campus to a city-owned 14-acre parcel: the former site of the Port of Portland’s Terminal 1 along the west side of the Willamette River.

鈥淭o a person, they’ve said yes,鈥� Williams said.

So far, the project draws heavily from San Antonio’s Haven for Hope, right down to the $100 million price tag and the 501(c)3 organization that would operate the shelter.

That arrangement would be crucial, said Williams, who’s working alongside business partner Dike Dame.

鈥淭he important thing here is that this is run by the private side,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭he state and city are partners; the businesses and foundations are partners. And in the middle is the community. We’re looking at this like we’d look at a development. You’ve just got to break it down into pieces and attack them.鈥�

Homelessness and housing affordability are two issues gripping government and public consciousness in Portland. Mayor Charlie Hales has declared a 鈥渉ousing state of emergency鈥� to seek shelter for the more than 1,000 people who sleep outside in Portland each night.

Williams said he favors an approach attacking the root causes of homelessness through a program run by a comprehensive group of stakeholders.

鈥淎 bed and meals doesn’t do it, and for most of these people, even an apartment doesn’t do it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 mean, they need a lot of care and a lot of healing to get back into mainstream society.鈥�

The team so far includes Ankrom Moisan Architects, which has been performing schematic designs pro bono.

Williams told the 91视频 he intends to have a plan to put on the desk of Portland’s next mayor, Ted Wheeler, by the first quarter of 2017. The proposal would cost $360,000, covered mostly by business interests, and contain cost estimates and estimated operating budgets. Williams said he’s had discussions with Wheeler, as well as the chairwoman of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, Deborah Kafoury.

Williams first spoke about his plans with The Oregonian’s editorial board. The plan would feature beds for 700 people, and transitional housing for an additional 700.

When asked if this project was intended to be a career-capper, Williams, 71, said, 鈥淲e just kind of stumbled into this, to be honest with you.鈥�