At a Wednesday night debate organized by Progreso Latino, an organization advocating for Oregon’s Latinx communities, Portland mayoral candidates Rene Gonzalez, Keith Wilson, and Carmen Rubio discussed their approaches to addressing the city’s homelessness and mental health crises. While they agreed on the urgency of these issues, a sharp exchange occurred when Gonzalez criticized Wilson’s focus on expanding shelter capacity as “overly shallow.”
Wilson, who promises to end unsheltered homelessness in his first year as mayor by implementing a network of nighttime emergency shelters, argued that Portland should follow the example of cities like Boise, ID, and Boston, MA, where the number of unsheltered people is just over 100. He stated that Portland’s over 5,000 unsheltered individuals represent a humanitarian crisis, straining both public safety officers and emergency room staff, and leading to longer emergency response times. “Our hospitals are now sheltering the unsheltered,” he said, referencing other cities with larger shelter capacities and fewer people living on the streets. “There’s nothing progressive about leaving people on the streets.”
Gonzalez countered by arguing that Wilson’s shelter-based strategy fails to address underlying issues such as addiction and criminal behavior. “If you put an addict or a criminal in a shelter, they’re still an addict or a criminal. They will still tax the system. Shelter alone, as important as it is, is not going to solve someone’s behavioral health, medical needs, or criminal behaviors overnight. It’s a false promise, and it’s overly shallow.” He proposed a more comprehensive approach, including addiction treatment, stricter enforcement of camping and drug laws, and increasing Portland’s police force to 1,000 officers.
Wilson responded, “In Portland, we have one department handing out tents while another department is sweeping them. What kind of rational approach is that?”
Commenting on the exchange, Carmen Rubio argued that public camping bans are unlikely to be effective, saying they merely relocate unsheltered people to unsafe areas like bridges and overpasses. She called for expanded access to shelter with on-site mental health and addiction services. Referring to Wilson’s promise to end unsheltered homelessness within a year, she said, “I don’t think that quick fixes, like a one-year plan, are realistic. But I agree that it’s neither compassionate nor progressive to leave people suffering on our streets.”
For Voters, a Choice Between Track Record or Trying Something New
During closing statements, Wilson criticized his opponents’ track records, claiming they have failed to adequately address the homelessness crisis: “My opponents have had years to build coalitions and deliver results, and they haven’t,” he said. “If you like the way the city is being run, I’m not your guy. But if you want real change—vote for me.”
Gonzalez emphasized his commitment to public safety: “I have led the fight and been the standard-bearer on public safety. That means taking on hard topics and balancing compassion without enabling,” he said. “This has been a dark era for the City of Portland, but there is light at the end of the tunnel, and we’ve got to lean in on redefining what a western city looks like post-pandemic.”
Rubio, who often refers to herself as the “no drama” candidate, closed by highlighting her track record and claiming credit for initiatives such as police body-worn cameras and efforts to streamline the city permitting process and incentivize housing production. “We don’t need more drama or division. We just need real, accountable, and competent leaders—leaders who know how to work together, build coalitions, and make tough choices to get things done,” she said.
Rubio, Gonzalez, and Wilson are among nineteen candidates running for mayor. Other candidates, including City Commissioner Mingus Mapps and artist and stripper Liv Østhus, did not qualify for the debate due to not meeting the public campaign financing deadline.
