Oregon Public Broadcasting

This Tuesday night, Portland leaders continue exploring daytime options for people living on the streets. April Baer reports.

In recent years, a sit-lie ordinance blocked people living on Portland's streets from hanging around on sidewalks and corners. But now a judge has ruled the ordinance pre-empts state law, and police have stopped enforcing it.

Downtown businesses -- and even some street dwellers -- aren't happy that more people may hang around on sidewalks.   

Commissioner Amanda Fritz says that with more people losing homes in the downturn,  it's time to revisit the options.

Amanda Fritz: "It's for people living outside, people living inside to get together, and talk about how they're experiencing the summer of 2009, and what we might be able to do within the city to make things better."

Fritz and her colleague, Commissioner Nick Fish  have scheduled community meetings to talk about day-time options and services this week.

Meeting info