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Story: CROWDED HOUSE
Date: Aug. 7
What happened: Portland-area governments spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year trying to keep people off the streets. By almost all accounts, it’s not working. For the past six months, WW has been reporting on what happens when private companies try to do better. The business model works like this: A company operates an outpatient mental health and addiction treatment clinic, recruits people straight off the streets, and gives them temporary housing in residential neighborhoods. So far, these efforts have not met a warm reception. In August, WW reported on neighbors’ complaints that one such company, WiiCare, was housing a dozen people in a sober living home on a quiet street in the outer Northeast Portland neighborhood of Wilkes. The home was unregistered with the state—and WW’s reporting showed that state regulators couldn’t decide whether such oversight was required.
What’s happened since: Immediately following WW’s story, city inspectors arrived at the Wilkes house and threatened fines if it didn’t register with the state and fix a variety of safety issues. (WiiCare fended off similar complaints from neighbors in Oregon City by obtaining a business license.) WiiCare is cooperating with inspectors, state officials say, but the fines are growing. The house is still occupied by people in recovery. “They are still there,” confirms the head of the neighborhood association, Shana Koalska. She adds: “There is growing neighborhood concern that another house is under construction for a similar purpose.” Meanwhile, WiiCare has had more pressing issues to worry about. In September, the state’s largest Medicaid insurer, CareOregon, cut off its primary revenue stream. Now, nearly a dozen clients the company housed at a North Portland motel face possible eviction, and the future of the company’s network of sober living homes remains unclear. Faith Omar, WiiCare’s CEO, has told WW she’s doing everything she can to keep her clients off the street.