Half of the day centers in Multnomah County — which provide basic necessities to people experiencing homelessness — could lose funding as the county looks to close a massive budget gap for its homeless services.

Why it matters: Day centers are often the first step to getting people living on the streets into housing, advocates said.

Driving the news: In February, the county announced its Homeless Services Department was facing a $104 million budget deficit, citing fluctuations in revenue from the Supportive Housing Services tax as one of the causes.

• But the county also acknowledged it used one-time funds to set up permanent programs with no plans to fund them once the funding expired.
• The department's proposed budget calls for cutting funding to four of the eight day centers in the county.

Zoom in: Blanchet House, a day center in Old Town that serves roughly 1,000 free meals each day and provides showers, personal hygiene products and medical care, is expecting to lose roughly $430,000 in county funding.

• Funding challenges aren't new, but "doing less doesn't simply mean that people will go without," executive director Scott Kerman told Axios. "Doing less means that people won't survive."

Rose Haven — a day center in NW Portland that serves women, children and non-binary people — is also facing a $430,000 cut.

• "Being outside is a very lonely and isolating existence," executive director Katie O'Brien told Axios.

What they're saying: O'Brien said day centers are often where people take the first steps toward getting off the streets.

• "If somebody doesn't know where they're going to get a bathroom or a tampon or a decent meal, it's impossible for that person to then think about, 'Oh, how am I going to find a job?'" she said.

The other side: County spokesperson Denis Theriault said it was still early in the budget process and "no final decisions have been made" ahead of a final vote in June so the county couldn't comment on specific proposed cuts.

Keep reading

Berlu Bakery, the acclaimed cafe serving Vietnamese sweet treats by James Beard Award-winning chef Vince Nguyen, will return as soon as next month — opening just around the corner from its former location.

Catch up quick: The first iteration of Berlu was a fine-dining restaurant that closed in 2023 as Nguyen welcomed his first child.

• Then it shifted to a pop-up bakery showcasing creative pastries like bánh bò nướng (pandan-flavored chewy sponge cake) and mochi waffles, which gained the bakery a cult following, but quickly overwhelmed the small space.
• Nguyen closed the bakery last fall, but planned to reopen in a bigger location.

The latest: That day has arrived — almost. At its new location on SE Belmont Street, Berlu will serve many of the same not-so-sweet treats it's known for as well as savory items, Nguyen told the Oregonian.

• New additions include a take on a classic bacon, egg and cheese, but served in bánh cuốn (steamed rice noodle sheets) with a side of maple nước chấm.
• Also on offer will be a Vietnamese hollow donut coated in everything seasoning and filled with salmon pastrami and charred scallion cream cheese.
• Everything will remain gluten- and dairy-free.

If you go: Berlu Bakery at 661 SE Belmont St. will be open Thursday through Sunday, 9am to 3pm, starting as early as May.

Tell someone with a sweet tooth

🚙 Oregon lawmakers have proposed a transportation funding package that includes a 20-cent hike on the gas tax, a 1% tax on vehicle sales and a new user fee for owners of electric vehicles. (OPB)

🪧 A union representing more than 1,350 Clackamas County employees voted to authorize a labor strike amid disagreements over cost-of-living raises and benefits, though no date has been set for a work stoppage. (KGW)

🚨 Ongoing flooding in southeastern Oregon, due to heavy rains and "historic" levels of snowmelt, has damaged homes, submerged roads and forced the evacuation of some 1,200 people. (KOIN)

🍁 Oregon has spent roughly $46 million on curtailing black market marijuana over the last seven years, but officials don't know if they've actually put a dent in the problem. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Rainstorms have become only slightly more intense in Portland over the last half century, according to a new analysis — but other parts of Oregon have seen dramatic dips in precipitation.

The big picture: Hourly rainfall intensity increased between 1970 and 2024 in nearly 90% of the 144 locations analyzed, a report from the nonprofit Climate Central found.

• In Portland, rainfall intensity increased by just 0.3%.

Yes, but: Eugene saw one of the biggest declines in rainfall intensity, with a drop of nearly 35%.

How it works: The researchers divided each location's total annual rainfall by its total hours of annual rainfall, using NOAA weather station data.

• That approach quantifies how much rain fell for each hour it was raining in a given year.

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