PORTLAND, Oregon — Portland Mayor Keith Wilson is urging residents to volunteer and donate to the city’s homeless services, warning that federal intervention could follow if the community doesn’t respond to what he called a “pivotal week” in addressing homelessness.
Wilson’s appeal, sent Wednesday in a letter to residents on a mailing list, comes days after a new overnight shelter opened in the Pearl District. He referenced the recent National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C., suggesting Portland could face similar intervention without community action.
The request has already generated significant response, according to city officials…