A property developer who has been operating in crime-ridden Portland for four decades says that he’s pulling out of the city because he has ‘nothing left in the tank’ after recently selling one property for nearly half its listed value.
Kevin Howard, 75, told KATU in a recent interview that the property in question had become home to squatters after the pizza restaurant that had been renting the space shuttered 2020. He listed the building in January 2021 for $795,000 but ended up selling for $412,000 this year.
‘The supposed homeless came in and kicked in the door, the front door, and lived in it. And I waited until they came out, and I had to board it up,’ Howard said.
Despite boarding up the property, Howard said the squatters were able to break-in again and resume living there.
When he called the police, Howard said the was referred to another government office, Central City Concern, but was told that they agency wouldn’t be able to do much other than provide coffee and soup for the vagrants.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12220111/Portland-property-developer-pulls-city-four-decades-building-squat.html