3 days Ago
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Clinic on Southwest 13th Avenue, one of the city's oldest health care clinics, plans to shut its doors to patients next month, although it will remain open for administrative services. Staff told KGW the decision was in part due to crime happening around the building, particularly widespread fentanyl dealing at night.
"There's like a million people out there every night, just with foils out everywhere, drugs everywhere...
every night there's at least a few fights going on, threatening to pull a gun out," said Ayla, who is homeless in the area and watches events unfold ever night. She said she tries to use her drugs in private and not outside the clinic. This year, Portland’s cleanup crews have conducted 37 campsite assessments and removed 18 sites in the area around the clinic.
On Monday, leaders from Portland’s Public Environment Management Office met with surrounding business owners to discuss ways to enhance public safety even more. "We're seeing really large groups accumulate and wait for dealers to arrive," said Portland police officer Eli Arnold. In a letter to patients late last week, The Portland Clinic officials announced they will close to patients starting in mid-December.
Holly Young, the director of marketing and public relations at the Portland Clinic sent KGW the following statement reading in part: "We continue to face significant issues around our building. The dynamic situation is one reason of several that we're making this change. After 104 years being downtown, and 50 years in the current building, this was a very hard decision.
.. This transition will allow us to shift our resources to our other locations, and plan for future facility upgrades, welcoming both our long-time patients and new patients as we look toward the future expansion of The Portland Clinic.
" "I think it's a tragedy that they're closing the building down because of it instead of like find a place for the homeless to go," said Nicholas, who is homeless near the clinic and addicted to fentanyl. "It's a fact of life around here in Portland," added Sophia, who is also homeless in the area and addicted to methamphetamines. All clinical operations will soon relocate to their other locations across the Portland metro area, according to The Portland Clinic.
Staff will be in touch with impacted patients, informing them of where their new doctor will be located. Some patients who spoke to KGW said they could understand the need for the change. "It's a beautiful venue waiting in the lobby, and you have to stare at people using the bathroom and all the drugs and garbage," said a patient named Russel, referring to what he can see outside the floor-to-ceiling windows in the lobby.
However, the change could make it harder for some longtime patients to get to appointments. Another patient, Mary, said she's been coming to the downtown clinic for almost 50 years and relies on public transportation to get there. "I was disappointed but not surprised," she said.
Portland police told KGW they've already arrested numerous fentanyl dealers outside the clinic and will continue to target the area. "We're aware that that problem is there right now and we're going to work to break it up as quickly as we can," said Arnold. City leaders are also involved in the response to the drug use crisis around the clinic.
A spokesperson for Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office told KGW that location has been "an ongoing priority for the city’s public safety and cleanup teams. This area is recognized as a hotspot, and the city has implemented several initiatives to address the challenges faced by businesses and residents." Those initiatives include increased missions by Portland police, security improvements, and clearing vegetation in "high-impact areas" to improve visibility and safety.
There are also plans to "harden" the hills along the Interstate 405 corridor, installing boulders and other obstacles to make it more difficult for people to set up tents..
