Potential deal to sell unused Wapato Jail in the works

Commissioner Smith faults Chair Kafoury for not revealing it earlier

A potential deal to sell the unused Wapato Jail has been in the works since before last weeks public hearing on using it for a homeless shelter, according to Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith.

Smith tells the Portland Tribune that County Chair Deborah Kafoury signed a counter offer on a letter of intent to purchase the facility in North Portland for $9 million on Sept. 21, the day before the commission hearing on it.

Smith faulted Kafoury for not revealing the potential sale before or at the hearing.

Im very disappointed about that, says Smith, who says she only learned about the deal yesterday. There were senior citizens who waited for hours to testify on the issue without knowing anything about this deal. That should not have happened.

Kafoury tells the Tribune she signed a "non-binding" document that will begin the process to determine if the offer is viable. Kafoury says the county has received a number of offer for Wapato over the years, including one as recently as last July, but that none of them have been viable so far.

"Wapato was for sale before, during and after the hearing," says Kafoury.

According to Kafoury, because Wapato sits on land that is zoned for industrial purposes," All of our goal is returning it to the tax rolls for good-paying industrial jobs."

Kafoury and Smith would not say who has made the offer. It is appraised at approximately $8.5 million.

Kafoury and Smith also agree the deal must be approved by a majority of the commission before it can go through.

The commission held an executive session yesterday where the deal could have been discussed. Although reporters can attend executive sessions, they cannot report on them without getting on the record confirmation from knowledgable sources afterwards.

Using Wapato for the homeless has been a contentious issue for months. Wapato was designed to accommodate more than 500 people. Kafoury has opposed using it for the homeless, even though between 2,000 and 3,000 people are estimated to be living on area streets. She is supported by commissioners Jules Bailey and Judy Shiprack.

Smith and Commissioner Diane McKeel support using Wapato for the homeless. Smith pressed for the hearing where it was discussed. At the hearing, county officials said it would cost just under $1 million to open Wapato for the homeless.

To read a Portland Tribune story on the hearing, go to portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/324561-203898-the-wapato-debate-goes-public.