Increasing Neighborhood Livability
April 2013 Update
April 4th, 2013 SOS Oregon Update - Where's the beef ... uh ... code enforcement? It has been awhile but that doesn't mean SOS Oregon hasn't continued to work on issues ... or print double negatives. The defamation trial of Lisa Leithauser (Rami A. Makboul v. Lisa Leithauser) ended on March 22 in Multnomah County Circuit Court with a jury verdict in Leithauser's favor. -Read More-
Who We Are
SOS Oregon is a non-profit coalition formed to increase neighborhood livability. SOS Oregon works with advocacy groups, neighborhood businesses, and municipal, state and federal officials to address the proliferation of unregulated adult entertainment businesses.
Our goals:
- Demand short-term code enforcement at the city and county level
- Encourage long-term industry regulation at the local, state and federal level
Why We Are Here
There are 56 strip club and private room businesses within Portland city limits. Dozens more are outside of city limits. These businesses are often located next to residences and small neighborhood businesses. Private room businesses are entirely unregulated. A Las Vegas brothel owner visiting Portland stated private room businesses are "...houses of prostitution right in your backyard." Law enforcement officers state strip, lingerie modeling and private dancing clubs attract crime to neighborhoods.
SOS Oregon seeks regulation and code enforcement to police businesses that routinely ignore good neighbor policies most businesses routinely follow. The businesses on the SOS Oregon radar do not control their patrons leading to patrons trespassing, littering, parking, and sometimes urinating on neighboring business and resident property. Some of the businesses have music playing so loudly it impacts neighboring businesses and residences. Some of the businesses on the SOS Oregon list are under federal investigation. Some of the businesses do nothing to maintain their buildings or grounds, ignoring county and city codes. Some of the businesses count workers as independent contractors yet treat them like employees while avoiding employment taxes and fair employment laws, so the workers are wholly unprotected.
Join Us
Participate and educate yourself by joining the email list - send a message to: help@sosoregon.org
Contact information for public officials is available on the Resources page.
Take Action
Report questionable activities around adult entertainment businesses:
| Clackamas County Sheriff non-emergency number | 503-655-8211 |
| Multnomah County Sheriff non-emergency number | 503-823-3333 |
| Washington County Sheriff non-emergency number | 503-629-0111 |
| Washington County Code Enforcement | 503-846-6748 |
| City of Beaverton Code Enforcement | 503-526-2271 |
| Portland Police Online Reporting www.portlandonline.com/police/cor/ |
Support local family-friendly businesses in the area to help keep them in our neighborhood.
Together we can make a difference.
