Portland, Oregon / November 12, 2017
Catholic Charities of Oregon was recently made aware of a report alleging illegal drug activity at Kenton Women’s Village on November 6, 2017. Since receiving the initial report, Catholic Charities of Oregon has begun an investigation into the incident and has been in communication with Portland Police Bureau, Kenton Neighborhood Association and other partners. This week, we will continue to review this matter with all primary stakeholders, including the residents of Kenton Women’s Village, to develop a thoughtful and effective response using all available resources.
There is a zero-tolerance policy for illegal activity at Kenton Women’s Village, and Catholic Charities of Oregon is working closely with the Portland City Attorney’s Office to establish the policies needed to exclude individuals who violate Village rules and/or engage in illegal activity from the program and the site.
Catholic Charities of Oregon has gone above and beyond in many areas of management and security, including securing and paying for overnight security that is not reimbursed by our current limited contract. Like our partners, we agree that any type of illegal activity – in or near the village – threatens the success of our clients and the safety of the larger neighborhood.
Catholic Charities of Oregon will have a full report of the investigation by the end of the week and will implement necessary changes to respond accordingly. We will continue to collaborate with the community to achieve our shared goals of getting villagers into permanent housing with access to the services they need to succeed.
Press Release Contact:
James Howell
Catholic Charities of Oregon
Clark Family Center – 2740 SE Powell Boulevard, Portland, OR 97202
(503) 688-2620 (direct) / Email: JHowell@ccoregon.org