Portland business owners share concerns and priorities ahead of this month's election

PORTLAND, Ore. — Business owners across Portland tell KATU they're feeling frustration leading up to the primary election on May 17.

Ramzy Hattar said he's ready for new leaders and new solutions. This follows constant challenges with drug use outside his restaurant.

Hattar said looking ahead, he wants more resources from the city of Portland.

"I’m becoming resentful and angry and trying to find ways of coping with it and fighting back. There’s just so many pressures on small businesses right now, especially on our industry," he said.

Hattar said vandalism is also constant, and he worries about public safety, as well as sanitation.

"We have to police ourselves; we have to protect ourselves, we have to protect our staff and our customers and then clean up everything in the morning. Just last night, we had all our cables cut just randomly," he said.

Carrie Saum is the Old Town Business Navigator. She focuses on bringing new businesses into the neighborhood.

Saum said, for Old Town, one of the top priorities is support for the homeless population.

"We need more available shelter beds, and we do need more help from the city to get the mental health crisis, the addiction crisis under control," she said.

Saum said that could come in the form of new facilities, like recovery hospitals.

"All of these things happened while we were away. Nobody was minding the store, right? And now we’re back and everyone is nervous to come back, but it doesn’t get better until we’re willing to come back and hold our elected officials accountable," she said.

KATU did reach out to the Joint Office of Homeless Services as well as the four Portland city commissioners to share these concerns. We did not hear back yet, but we'll continue to follow up in the days ahead.