Portland’s new Mayor, Keith Wilson, expressed confidence in his action plan to address the city’s homelessness crisis, declaring he is ‘right on schedule’ to fulfill his campaign promise of ensuring ‘a safe bed for everybody every night.’
Wilson shared his views during the 2025 annual conference of the U.S. High Speed Rail Association held in Washington D.C. on May 13-14, where he also advocated for a proposed high-speed rail line linking Portland with Seattle and Vancouver.
The issue of homelessness has intensified in Portland, with Wilson noting that upon taking office in January 2025, approximately 7,000 individuals were unhoused, many residing in tent encampments scattered throughout the city.
Data from Multnomah County’s health department revealed a grave situation, reporting at least 456 deaths among its homeless population in 2023, a worrying increase of over 100 from the previous year.
Health experts largely attribute this surge in fatalities to the rising prevalence of fentanyl overdoses.
Furthermore, data from the 2022 U.S. Census indicated that Oregon holds the highest rate of chronic homelessness in the nation, defined as those experiencing homelessness for over one year or multiple times in several years.
With a business background, Wilson, who identifies as a moderate, emerged victorious in the November 2024 mayoral race, defeating opponents who represented more liberal and law enforcement-focused stances.
Throughout his campaign, he emphasized the urgency of tackling homelessness, pointing out the suffering endured by those affected and the detrimental impact on the city’s image.
Wilson reported significant progress in expanding shelter availability, stating, ‘It’s going great—we’re right on schedule.’
He revealed that 250 beds are currently operating, with an additional 230 expected in the next three to four weeks, along with 200 more in two months, bringing the total to 630 beds by midyear.
His ambitious target is to have 1,500 beds available by December 1, facilitated in part by private operators developing shelters.
Simultaneously, Wilson noted that Multnomah County is partnering with him to set a goal of adding 1,000 housing units, aligning with the aim to provide safe sleeping arrangements as winter approaches.
Expressing gratitude for the progress made, he stated, ‘I think it’s going quite well.’
Wilson challenged critics, particularly progressive Democrats, accusing them of exacerbating the crisis by offering inadequate solutions such as distributing tents to the homeless.
He asserted, ‘Letting people suffer and die on the street is not progress. It’s helplessness, it’s a government not guiding itself with morals…any city that lets its citizenry live and die on the street, it’s just cruel.’
The mayor pointed out that Multnomah County had been known for distributing tents, complicating efforts to reverse the unhealthy behaviors associated with street living.
To bolster housing supply, Wilson also mentioned collaboration with Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to implement a three-year suspension of system development charges, typically paid by builders, for 5,000 housing units.
This strategy comes amid a wave of firings and recalls of progressive mayors in West Coast cities in recent months, many of whom adopted aggressive policing reforms following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
Notably, in San Francisco, Levi Strauss heir Daniel Lurie unseated incumbent London Breed in November, promising a strong stance on crime and homelessness.
Similarly, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, who faced a recall attributed to rising crime rates, was succeeded by former House Democrat Barbara Lee shortly thereafter.
An advocate for transportation solutions, Wilson strongly endorsed the creation of a new high-speed rail connection from Oregon to Vancouver, arguing it would alleviate the housing crisis by enabling longer commutes for workers.
He stated, ‘Our system continues to be compacted and stagnant. The great cities from around the world are all tending to go towards high-speed rail, and we need an opportunity to unlock our economic renaissance which is what’s missing in our country right now, and high-speed rail would move us forward and get us competing again with the world from a leadership perspective.’
High-speed rail is characterized by trains operating at a minimum speed of 250 kilometers per hour (155 miles per hour) on specially built tracks, a standard defined by the International Union of Railways (UIC).
It was noteworthy that the U.S. High Speed Rail Association funded the travel and hotel expenses for Newsweek reporter James Bickerton to attend this pivotal 2025 conference.
image source from：https://www.newsweek.com/portland-plan-eliminate-homelessness-right-schedule-2076706
