CEIC Joins Neighbors in Successfully Pausing Deflection and Treatment Readiness Center Opening

Dear CEID Community, 

In a notable development for the Central Eastside community, Multnomah County has announced a pause in the opening of the proposed Deflection and Treatment Readiness Center until mid-to-late October. The Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC), working with local residents and businesses, successfully advocated for this delay. Our joint efforts and testimony to city officials were pivotal in securing this pause, allowing the county time to address crucial community concerns and ensuring that future development is both transparent and collaborative.

Our advocacy efforts highlighted three essential criteria that any operational plan for the Center must meet:

Transparent Operational Plan: The County needs a clear plan to manage the Center’s impacts, including collaboration for safety, financial support for affected businesses, and defined contractor roles. This plan should prevent additional burdens on the Buckman Neighborhood and CEID businesses.

Registration, Tracking, and Accountability: The deflection system must include strict registration, tracking, and limits on how often individuals can be deflected, with transparent processes and regular public updates. 

Collaborative Good Neighbor Agreement: The County should lead a Good Neighbor Agreement with the CEIC, local businesses, and residents, creating a community committee to guide decisions and accountability.

For more details read our full testimony here, including our most recent response here. 

Best regards,

Carolyne Holcomb

Executive Director

Central Eastside Industrial Council

How to Get Involved:

We encourage community members to submit their letters directly to the Deflection Center committee by email and copy our team at admin@centraleastside.biz, or to send us your comments and we’ll make sure your voice is heard at the next meeting.