Latino merchants: Portland area homeless motels bad for business
“A sense that Washington County officials disregarded social and racial justice considerations by placing the shelter in an area with a high number of Latino businesses was more troubling than the shelter itself, business owners said.
‘Nobody here is denying that there is a need for homeless shelters and transitional housing,’ said Hillsboro City Councilor Olivia Alcaire, who represents Ward 3, an area that includes the neighborhood around the shelter.
What we’re asking is, ‘Why did you decide to put it here?’Alcaire asked of county officials.
The area where the shelter is located is an unofficial Latino business district of sorts, with taquerias, Mexican bakeries, markets and other businesses catering to the community.
‘We all have the same question: Why here?’ a business owner who identified himself as Andres told officials. ‘Because this is a cheap community — that’s the way people look at it.'”