On Wednesday, more than 170 people addressed Portland City Council for the first reading of Mayor Ted Wheeler’s proposed ordinance that would put strict limitations on homeless camping.
The mayor says the ordinance is in compliance with Oregon House Bill 3115, which requires all Oregon cities to update their public camping restrictions by July 1.
If passed and implemented, the ordinance would implement:
- A ban on camping from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- A ban on camping in certain places including schools, parks, existing shelters, and pedestrian sidewalks.
- Restrictions include a ban on gas heaters, accumulating garbage, and obstructing access to private property or businesses.
“We all know from the last year and a half that houselessness is not solved through criminalization,” said Juan Chavez, an attorney at the Oregon Justice Resource Center.
Chavez is among the dozens of people who joined a protest outside of City Hall before the meeting. He said taking away the ability for homeless people to camp during daytime hours is wrong.
“I think a lot of people just don't fundamentally understand how difficult it is to maintain a life to get to a better place, perhaps, if you don't have a place to put your stuff,” he said.
But those who support the ordinance say homeless camping is a threat to public safety.
“We’ve lost numerous people on our team who were very important to our staff,” said Aaron Watson, a small business owner.
Watson says homeless camping has affected his business.
“They use our landscape as a restroom,” he said.
Another business owner, Jonathan Malsin, says it's turned away customers.
“The primary concern from customers we hear is a lack of safety on the streets resulting in our businesses and customers not feeling safe to come into our business, making it extremely hard to sustain or grow a business in the district,” he said.
The Council listened to hours of testimony on the mayor's proposed ordinance, but did not vote on it Wednesday.