Chair Jessica Vega Pederson has issued the following statement on the Supreme Court's June 28, 2024, ruling in the case City of Grants Pass v. Johnson.
"Today’s ruling doesn’t change the immediate reality on our streets — and it doesn’t change the urgent work ahead of us: People still need places to stay warm and dry and ultimately leave homelessness. People still need additional services to transition into shelter or housing. And we must continue to do more — and do it faster and better.
"Right now, we shelter and re-house thousands of people a year. Since I’ve been Chair, Multnomah County has invested in expanded day center options, shelter spaces, recovery and transitional housing, and other services needed to support people living on this community’s streets.
"And we’ve worked with the Mayor’s Office and partners at all levels of government and across the community to build a Homelessness Response System and develop and deliver on a Homelessness Response Action Plan that fundamentally reshapes and refocuses our work so we can serve thousands more people in need moving forward."