Major budget shortfalls at the city and county are set to result in the loss of more than 1,000 shelter beds for Portland's homeless.

The big picture: The cuts are expected to hit more than a dozen facilities across the region and will likely leave many who rely on them with fewer options.

By the numbers: Multnomah County's $4 billion budget cuts 605 beds at shelters across the region, like the Bybee Lakes Hope Center, Laurelwood Center and the Chestnut Tree Inn Motel Shelter.

• The cuts were part of the county's strategy to climb out of a $67 million budget hole for homeless services alone.
• Meanwhile, under a city budget that has yet to be finalized, another 511 beds would be lost as Portland shores up a budget shortfall of more than $160 million.
• Those cuts would impact Northrup Shelter, Weidler Village and Reedway Village, among others.

Flashback: One of Mayor Keith Wilson's major campaign promises was to end unsheltered homelessness by adding shelter beds.

• He declared a victory of sorts in December after he hit his self-imposed goal of setting up 1,500 new shelter beds, but now a third of those beds are expected to be cut.

Yes, but: Commissioners sought to blunt the impact of the cuts by setting aside $6 million from the general fund to help transition people from shelters to permanent housing,

• $1 million of that is dedicated to helping find housing for people in shelters slated for closure.
• Commissioners said they hoped that would free more shelter beds.

What they're saying: "At a time when our community is experiencing historically high levels of homelessness, this proposal would significantly increase unsheltered homelessness overnight," Clifton Roberts, spokesperson for the nonprofit Transition Projects, told KGW.

• "We are calling on our elected officials for a plan that prevents hundreds of people from being pushed out on the streets."

The bottom line: For people who use the shelters, the loss of beds could leave them with few alternatives.

• "There is really no place else I can go to," Michael, a guest at the Clark Center Shelter in the Central Eastside, told KGW.

Share this story

Keeping tabs on Portland's ever-evolving restaurant scene can feel like a full-time job.

• Luckily it's mine and not yours, so here's all the new openings I've been keeping my eye on.

🍇 Farag's (Kerns) reopens Thursday as one of Portland's most popular summer patio pop-ups, serving Egyptian-inspired small plates and mezcal behind Güero.

🧇 Mémoire Cà Phê (Concordia) recently moved into a larger Alberta space, where its expanded Việt Kiều menu — including fried chicken and pandan waffles — is now available every day.

🍣 Sushi Fukami (Downtown), a reservation-only omakase counter from a former Nimblefish chef, plans to open in July with just eight seats.

🍕 Strange-Bird (Hosford-Abernethy) has moved from a longtime food cart into a brick-and-mortar next to Rhinestone on Southeast Clinton and still specializes in hand-tossed, wood-fire pies.

🥪 Salami Mammi (Beaverton) opens next month with Italian-American deli staples like chicken parm, grinders, salads and a "small assortment of cookies," per Bridgetown Bites.

🍜 Neko Ramen (Lake Oswego), a Japanese spot from the owner of Portland Thai favorite Somtum, offers ramen, donburi, karaage and snacks.

🦀 Kracked Crab (Woodstock) opened in The Heist, specializing in customizable seafood boils packed with crab, lobster, shrimp, sausage and corn.

🍻 Castle Wyrd (Milwaukie), the new location of Southeast Portland's medieval-themed tavern Wyrd Leatherworks & Meadery, will reopen Saturday in a 5,000 square-foot castle.

🔜 What we're watching: James Beard Award-winning bakery JinJu Patisserie is planning a comeback this fall, reopening just a short walk from its flagship location on North Williams across the street from New Seasons.

🖼️ Legendary artist David Hockney died last week at age 88.

• More than 200 of his sketches, photos, collages and paintings are on display at the Portland Art Museum through July 26. (Oregon Arts Watch)

📫 Democrats in Oregon's Congressional delegation warned that a proposed requirement for the state to give the feds voter registration data to continue voting by mail would "throw our election systems into chaos." (The Oregonian)

📚 The Portland Book Festival announced plans to expand from a one-day affair to a week of events in November — featuring cookbook-inspired dinners and musical performances. (Willamette Week)

🪏 The University of Oregon broke ground last week on an $83 million expansion of its Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health at the former Concordia University site in Northeast Portland. (OPB)

Summer is in full swing, and one of the best ways to enjoy it is to hop on two wheels of choice and join a free Bike Summer ride.

• I went on my very first over the weekend.

🎤 The theme was "trash pop" — think Kesha, Charli XCX, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, etc — and everyone dressed the part, including the host who rode a fuzzy, zebra-print bike with two giant speakers MacGyvered on the back.

• After a jaunt around Northeast Portland, the ride ended at Peninsula Park where an impromptu dance party broke out under the gazebo.
• Someone handed out rainbow ribbon wands, and another unleashed a cloud of bubbles from a blaster, all while Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" played.
• Looking around, I felt like I had found my people.

🚲 Find a ride that speaks to you here — there's dozens happening every day through August.