A landlord has refused to renew a lease for a BottleDrop location at the Delta Park Center in North Portland, (“N. Portland BottleDrop, a magnet for drug use, is closing,” March 11). The reasons involved complaints of open drug use, homeless squatters and litter.
The operators of BottleDrop – the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative – said in 2025 they could only control what happened at the space they leased. They missed the point – an entire neighborhood is affected by this type of business. The landlord of the Delta Park Center reports that the news of the BottleDrop’s July closing already has interested prospective tenants of the center.
Considering this neighborhood impact, why would we expect a better outcome in other locations such as Hosford/Abernathy or Brooklyn? (“Nonprofit Portland bottle drop announces plans for new permanent, indoor location,” Aug. 31)…