The city has a budget of around $20,000 earmarked for the issue. Newport’s Homelessness Task Force has 15 recommendations they'll present to city councilors on Tuesday.
Some suggestions have already been approved like adding portable toilets to certain areas, but Newport Mayor Dean Sawyer says there are other asks that likely won’t happen like an overnight shelter.
“What we’re trying to do is we’re trying to put them in tiers, so we can say you know the most important thing is, let’s just say ,for example, human waste. We want to make sure that there’s a place for these folks to use the restroom and have some dignity," he said.
Sawyer said since Newport can't afford everything, the city is leaning on religious organzations, like Grace Wins Haven, and Lincoln County for addressing homelessness. The county is considering matching Newport's $20,000, a move Sawyer said would strengthen efforts.
The list of recomendations can be found here.
