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County on verge of Wapato Jail sale

By: Chuck Slothower//April 6, 2018//

County on verge of Wapato Jail sale

Chuck Slothower//April 6, 2018//

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Multnomah County’s Board of Commissioners is scheduled to decide this week on the sale of the long-vacant Wapato Jail to developer Marty Kehoe. (Courtesy of Multnomah County)
’s Board of Commissioners is scheduled to decide this week on the sale of the long-vacant to developer . (Courtesy of Multnomah County)

Wapato Jail, a lingering embarrassment for Multnomah County, could finally come off the books if the Board of Commissioners agrees to sell the property to a developer.

Commissioners are set to vote on a revised deal with developer Marty Kehoe during a meeting that will begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

The county and in October entered into a letter of intent to sell the property to the company for $10.8 million. After a due-diligence period, the two sides are working on a revised deal at $5 million. If the county opts not to sell for that price, Kehoe is releasing the property back to the county, according to a letter from his attorneys to the county.

Kehoe has said he wants to turn the never-used jail into a distribution facility for medical devices. It’s not clear if that’s still the plan.

“Our representatives are still talking with the county and we’re trying to find a way to make this transaction work for all parties,” Kehoe said.

Adding intrigue is an 11th-hour offer from Oregon Harbor of Hope, a nonprofit organization founded by developer Homer Williams. Harbor of Hope has offered $7 million to turn the property into a homeless shelter.

Williams’ offer is not up for official consideration on Thursday.

Don Mazziotti, who is working with Williams and Harbor of Hope, declined to comment on the offer. “I’m not going to go into any details of the offer,” he said. “I don’t want to prejudice the decision in the press – it’s too important.”

County Chair Deborah Kafoury has expressed skepticism that the property could be used as a homeless shelter or a hub for social services. The property is zoned for heavy industrial use, and Oregon courts have rejected shelters in industrial zones.

Wapato Jail is also far from social services used by the homeless and is difficult to get to. The nearest bus stop is more than a mile away.

The Street Roots newspaper published an editorial against using the facility as a shelter, saying “rather than segregate our homeless neighbors to a jail on the edge of town, we should continue efforts with shelters that allow people to remain in their community.”

The county has struggled to find a use for the empty jail. It was built after voters approved a $46 million bond measure in 1996. The facility was dedicated in 2004, but never opened as the county found itself short of operating funds. At the same time, crime declined.

The county had to wait until Oct. 1, 2016, when the bonds were paid off, to sell the property. CBRE marketed the listing.

Multnomah County has been eager to get rid of the property. It costs $300,000 a year to maintain the facility, according to the county.

 



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