PORTLAND, Ore. — Nine Multnomah County homeless shelters could close as soon as this summer, together representing nearly 700 beds, as county leaders struggle to close a major budget gap at the Homeless Services Department.
For Natalie Constance, who stays at the county’s Laurelwood Center shelter, the closures mean being faced with life on the streets again — despite doing everything asked of her, from getting sober to holding down a job.
Constance’s shelter is in a nondescript building off Southeast Foster Road. She’s well aware that it represents a big upgrade from life unsheltered…