Let’s talk about why the Smaller Shelters for Portland citizen initiative matters to Portland’s future.

Thankfully, the Smaller Shelters initiative has broad support from people throughout Portland, despite several current city councilors who have pushed through the plan for the 200-bed mega-shelter.

More smaller shelters is the right answer, because the unhoused people who helped put together the initiative know what works best for themselves. Why build a huge shelter in Riverton that unhoused people won’t stay at, when they could build a 50-bed shelter (where unhoused people would feel safe) there instead?

The only candidate in the at-large City Council race who gets it and has proven to understand that smaller shelters equal better outcomes is Travis Curran. If you want our city to prioritize people over developers, I encourage you to rank Travis No. 1 and vote “A” for smaller shelters.

It’s time to put the people who make Portland great, first again.

Justin Beth
Portland