From July through March, Oregon’s largest area, Portland, has removed 4, 182 poor camping, mostly from streets. According to the town, each camp usually has at least three tents, which suggests that more than 12, 000 tents were removed from town property during this time, according to lawyer John DiLorenzo.
” It dawned on me: Wait a minute, 12, 000 houses is more than we have poor people on the street”, remarked DiLorenzo, who sued Portland in 2022 on behalf of handicapped people needing clear streets.
According to National Review, Portland agreed to promote removing campsites that obstruct sidewalks as part of a lawsuit last year and establish a system for reporting dangerous camps. Except in bad weather, the town stopped giving houses and tents to the poor.
DiLorenzo praised the state’s commitment to the agreement, but he also wondered why some sidewalks also had huts. He points to the Joint Office of Homeless Services in Multnomah County as a possible culprit. County statistics show that from May 2023 to May 2024, the Joint Office distributed hundreds of camping materials, including 6, 492 houses, 6, 635 sleeping sacks, 23, 928 tents, 16, 980 weather scarves, and 35, 283 blankets, mainly through nonprofits and religious organizations.
Critics argue this cycle is expensive and destructive: while Portland spends million clearing camps, the Joint Office spends thousands more providing alternative houses and materials. This has heightened tensions and mistrust between county and city leaders regarding how they deal with homelessness.
Portland, led by Democrats moving towards a less permissive stance on homeless camping, is investing$ 26 million to clear camps from city property. Even progressive Portlanders are weary of “warehousing people outdoors,” according to DiLorenzo, who noted that polls show even these polls. Conversely, county leaders remain in a “left- wing ideological echo chamber”, continuing to distribute camping gear as a “humane” response while increasing shelter capacity.
City leaders contend that providing tents obstructs efforts to keep the city clean and follow the settlement by perpetuating self-destructive behaviors and incentivizes outdoor living. The situation, according to DiLorenzo, is similar to” trying to mop up a water spill, and the guy upstairs wo n’t turn off the faucet.”
Some Portland leaders are now in favor of renuating to the intergovernmental agreement that the Joint Office, which was established in 2016, funded centrally. The proposed extension to the current contract requires Portland to contribute$ 25 million the following year and$ 31 million the following year, a fraction of the Joint Office’s$ 400 million budget. However, county leaders direct the Joint Office’s operations.
Mayor Ted Wheeler supports continuing funding because it gives him the opportunity to influence policy and get more money. Commissioner Mingus Mapps disagrees, suggesting the city should n’t pay to have a say in the regional response. He makes the case that the county’s commitment to the settlement should determine whether they will continue to participate.
Jessica Vega Pederson, chairwoman of the Multnomah County commission, defends the county’s strategy, calling it a humane response to homelessness. County data shows the Joint Office directly distributed 735 tents, 2, 940 tarps, and 6, 078 blankets during severe weather.
DiLorenzo criticizes the idea of giving out tents as a service, contending that it promotes outdoor living. He contends that Portland’s homeless crisis is caused by severe mental health and addiction issues that make them unable to pay rent.
DiLorenzo believes if tents and tarps were unavailable, more homeless individuals would seek indoor alternatives, aligning with the city’s goals. ” If there are no tents and tarps available, more people will get frustrated with that and will choose the indoor alternative”, he said. ” Which is what we want”.
