Without a backup plan in place, Portland City Council will vote on whether to end its agreement with Multnomah County, amid strong backlash from officials and the public. by Courtney Vaughn In a divisive move that would upend the city of Portland’s collaboration with Multnomah County on homelessness, an intergovernmental agreement could be terminated by Portland City Council this week. Three weeks ago, while presiding over a Council meeting in Mayor Ted Wheeler’s absence, Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez directed the city attorney to draft up a contract termination ordinance that would dissolve the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) dictating homelessness response and collaboration. He got a nod of support from fellow Commissioners Mingus Mapps and Dan Ryan.  Now, the trio is introducing a proposal to formally end the contract between the governing agencies, citing “insufficient progress” to meet key milestones and deadlines. A contract termination proposal on Thursday’s agenda suggests the current arrangement lacks the right framework and governance structures to tackle the homelessness crisis “with the urgency, collaboration, and effectiveness required.” Gonzalez, Ryan, and Mapps are pitching the proposal as an orderly wind-down to make way for an improved agreement. The IGA vote is the only item on this week’s City Council agenda.  The proposal drew swift backlash from the mayor and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. Following Portland’s Oct. 16 Council meeting, Vega Pederson issued a statement admonishing Gonzalez, Ryan, and Mapps.  The majority of City Council says they don't want to work with the County to end homelessness. Its clear these officials - candidates desperately vying for your vote this month - have their eyes on their own future and not our collective one. Disappointing. pic.twitter.com/sZwkoQBiF2 — Jessica Vega Pederson (@jvegapederson) October 17, 2024 Last Friday, when the item officially appeared on a Council agenda, she spoke out again. “The City Council deciding to end this agreement after just a few months is a short-sighted decision that will harm our community’s future,” Vega Pederson wrote November 1 in a lengthy explanatory statement released by the county. “We don’t need more talking–this community cannot afford it. That will not lead to better outcomes or fewer people on the street, and I do not believe it is a good use of taxpayer resources when we have a collaborative plan we are already putting into action. No single government can [solve] this issue alone. The County is taking action on homelessness every day and that work is best when we work in partnership.” Vega Pederson previously called the move a “political stunt” by Gonzalez, Ryan, and Mapps just before the election. If the Council votes to end the contract, it won’t take effect for 90 days, when a new City Council is in place.  The current IGA, which was just renewed in July, essentially lays out a division of labor, funding, and responsibilities between the city and the county with regard to homeless services and shelters. It also identifies goals and milestones for reducing the number of unsheltered people in the county.  Vega Pederson said the county now spends all of its homeless services funds, and more, while providing clear data and public dashboards. She also noted the homelessness response plan lays out 120 action items, each assigned to a responsible party. Ahead of the pending Council vote, the county has issued data on spending and progress summaries. If city estimates are accurate, ending the agreement could place a significant financial burden on the city as it heads into a tight fiscal year. Portland and Multnomah County currently share financial responsibility for the region’s homelessness response.  If the agreement is terminated, the city would no longer have to send $32 million in general fund money to Multnomah County, but it would take on more than $40 million in costs to permanently manage the Safe Rest Villages and Temporary Alternative Shelter Sites.  The roughly $40 million expense doesn’t include costs for wraparound services that the county currently provides at the shelter sites. The city doesn’t know how much it would cost to provide those services, and there is no alternative plan in place for maintaining services and shelter beds if the contract goes away. Welcome Home Coalition, a nonprofit focused on affordable housing and universal access to housing, warns the termination proposal is dangerous. “They are presenting this action without a clearly articulated new plan of how the city will serve people experiencing homelessness,” an email sent from the coalition reads. “Backing out of the Intergovernmental Agreement without an understanding of how this would impact service provision will have rippling consequences that will no doubt result in more harm to those in the most need of services.” Commissioners Gonzalez, Ryan, and Mapps insist the contract could be ended with minimal disruption of homeless services. In a joint letter, the three commissioners said the city needs to see a different way of managing services. “As Portland City Commissioners with years of experience with the Joint Office of Homeless Services, we are resolute that we can no longer afford to maintain the status quo,” the joint letter states. “We are also united in our repeated calls for accountability, efficiency, and improved governance to enhance our homeless services. …And despite our repeated requests for clear and useful data, operational alignment for short-term shelters, and a shared vision for the homeless services system, we have faced significant challenges in implementing these necessary changes.” Ending the IGA would further deteriorate an already strained relationship between the city and county. Mayor Wheeler previously said the working relationship between both governments had improved over the past year, but recent IGA renewals have been met with reluctance from Mapps, Ryan, and Gonzalez. The Council is scheduled to consider the contract at 2 pm Thursday.