Looking Ahead To A New Year
It’s hard to believe that seven years have passed since I took office. I think about the multitude of policies I have left my fingerprint on that have hopefully served our community well. As with most endings, we often wish we had had more time. But time can also be a great motivator especially when we know it is finite. So in my last year of proudly representing East Multnomah County, I continue to be laser-focused on projects and policies that are a priority for our community.
Housing people who experience homelessness is one of humanity’s greatest challenges. And while it is a given that we must build more housing units to meet the demand, we must also become more human-centered. By meeting the needs of people based on where they are and acknowledging their lived experiences we can help them recover more quickly.
In this month’s newsletter, you will find updates on our shelter strategies, East County homeless services coordination, resilience hub and common application initiatives, site visit research, workforce solutions and housing.
And while the New Year or ‘Seollal’ isn’t until February 10th this year, we had the opportunity to celebrate it during the Korean American Day Proclamation that I introduced during our January 4, 2024 board meeting. Happy New Year to all whether you celebrate Seollal, the Lunar New Year, or New Year’s Day! May we rise to meet the year’s challenges and take time to be truly present in its moments of joy.
Lori
