PORTLAND, Ore. — It's been nearly a year since Multnomah County opened its deflection center in Portland's Central Eastside, its original role envisioned as a place for law enforcement to take people caught in possession of drugs for connection to treatment instead of jail and prosecution.

The Coordinated Care Pathway Center opened in October despite significant pushback from neighbors. But some of the problems those neighbors envisioned haven't really materialized.

"Nothing is really changing for the better," said Jens Knudsen, co-chair of the Buckman Community Association. "We did anticipate a higher volume of people entering the neighborhood and sticking around — truth is, they haven't been bringing that many people there in the first place."

County data bears that out. From Januar

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