PORTLAND, Ore. — Texts from late February between the top officials at Multnomah County and Metro, recently obtained by KGW, underline how poor communication — whether intentional or not — has contributed to friction between the entities responsible for homeless services in the greater Portland area.
On Feb. 21, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson held a press conference revealing that the county faced a $104 million shortfall for homeless services. Vega Pederson said she’d sent letters that same day to the Metro regional government and the State of Oregon asking them for financial help, while also begging for cooperation from Washington and Clackamas counties.
That afternoon, Metro Council President Lynn Peterson sent the county chair a text, indicating that she felt blindsided by Vega Pederson’s request for help…