The city reached a settlement with 10 Portlanders with mobility disabilities who filed a lawsuit over tents and debris blocking sidewalks, claiming Portland was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The first-of-its-kind lawsuit was filed last September, and negotiations between the plaintiffs and city attorneys have lasted months.
The settlement agreement will now go before City Council on May 31 for approval before being presented in federal court.
The lawsuit sought a federal court order for the city to clear – and keep clear – all sidewalks to make them safe and useable. It also asked the city to build or buy emergency shelters for those unsheltered people who will be displaced when the sidewalks are cleared.
Next Wednesday (May 31), the city council is also expected to consider Mayor Ted Wheeler’s proposed ban on daytime camping on city property, which also prohibits camps altogether near schools and in parks.
The city’s attorney issued a press release about the settlement, saying it would work “hand in glove” with Wheeler’s proposed ordinance.
The attorney said Portland has agreed to several things, which include prioritizing the clearing of campsites that block sidewalks, setting up a 24-hour reporting hotlines, posting ‘no camping’ signs in problem areas, and stopping city employees and contractors from handing out tents and tarps – except during relocations or in extreme weather.
The city attorneys and Mayor Wheeler are set to meet Wednesday afternoon. This story will be updated.