The Livability Team officially kicked off in September 2019 after the Medford City Council and Budget Committee approved funding.This program adds dedicated police and code enforcement personnel to the downtown area and Bear Creek Greenway in an effort to find a balance between enforcement and outreach and address livability concerns such as homelessness and chronic nuisance houses.
The City Council dedicated $1.2 million to fund the Livability Team for two years and is made up of three Police Officers, one Code Enforcement Officer, and one Records Specialist.The team is currently focusing on the following areas of concern and have the flexibility to adapt to new areas:
- Downtown
- Greenway and Parks
- Assist Code Enforcement on blight complaints
- Work with Continuum of Care Coordinator to refer individuals to programs
- Types of crimes the team would help address: drinking in public, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, occupied RVs, accumulation of junk, stored vehicles in the right-of-way.
To further promote a cooperative approach to this problem the team has recently formed the Chronically Homeless Outreach Partnership (CHOP) to bring together community stakeholders for high risk individuals.
We will continue to partner with local organizations and lead, where necessary, in addressing these issues, which will take time and patience in order to strike a balance between a hand-up, hand-out, and enforcement approaches.
In the News
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Additional Department Information