Appoint Omar K. Salomon to the Steering and Oversight Committee for the Homelessness Response System for a one-year term to expire September 30, 2027

TO THE COUNCIL: As Mayor, I request Council confirmation of the Omar K. Salomon to the Steering and Oversight Committee meetings for the Homelessness Response System for a one-year term. AppointmentTerm End DateOmar K. SalomonSeptember 30, 2027Biography As founder and CEO, Omar oversees the day-to-day operations for XoCOTL, a from-scratch juice and smoothie bar with two locations in Portland, Oregon. He oversees the business plan, marketing and sales strategy and is responsible for coordinating and training staff, maintaining inventories, adhering to food safety regulations, allocating resources, administering payroll, doing all bookkeeping, overseeing the Point of Sale (POS) systems and ensuring customer satisfaction. Omar and his family opened XoCOTL at the Portland Mercado in the Mt. Scott neighborhood, but moved to SE Division neighborhood (Richmond) after the fire that leveled the Mercado. He is very skilled in cultivating and maintaining relationships with other businesses and business owners and has expanded his network to the Brooklyn neighborhood, the location of his newest shop at the Brooklyn Carreta. Omar worked as a regional business developer for the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber and was responsible for providing bilingual (English/Spanish) one-on-one technical assistance to small businesses in business strategy, marketing, operations, human resources, and financial planning. He brings a deep understanding of housing and homelessness from his time working for Northwest Housing Alternatives and 211info. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors and treasurer for Hacienda Community Development. Omar and his wife, who are originally from La Ciudad de México, have lived in the Portland area for 22years. They have one son who is headed to college this year! Statement of Interest As a business owner in the SE Portland area, I have seen and experienced situations that affect businesses. Also as a former employee from a non-profit organization dedicated to developing affordable housing I have knowledge of the complex issues that people face when they are experiencing homelessness. I am interested in contributing to a process that will help address these problems. Respectfully submitted, Keith Wilson, Mayor