A sign marks a path frequented by people living at Sandy River Delta park in northeast Multnomah County. MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND On a Saturday in late September, several dozen individuals enthusiastically gathered with trash bags, gloves, and shovels on a mission to pick up garbage at the Sandy River Delta, the 1,500 acres of wooded trails […]
Housing
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Mayor Wheeler’s Office Considers Banning Homeless Camping Downtown
Scene from a downtown Portland sidewalk. Doug Brown Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office has been discussing a strategy to ban homeless camping from areas of downtown Portland—and to move those campers into a “high-population outdoor camping zone.” The plan, which has been largely discussed in closed-door conversations with city staff, has drawn alarm from homeless advocates […]
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Funds From Metro’s New Supportive Housing Service Tax Reach Portland’s Homeless
JONATHAN FERREY / GETTY IMAGES After seven years living on Portland sidewalks, Anthony Hurt was ready for a change. It was 2019—nine years after his 2-year-old daughter’s death sent his life spiraling into a fog of depression, addiction, and homelessness—and the 36-year-old had reached a breaking point. “I was tired of waking up cold and […]
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City Reveals First Locations for Sanctioned Outdoor Homeless Shelters
Tiny homes at Kenton Women’s Village, one of several alternative outdoor shelters currently operating in Portland. Meg Nanna City officials Thursday revealed the first three locations for the city’s six planned “safe rest villages,” or sanctioned outdoor shelters for unhoused Portlanders. The much-anticipated announcement comes months after the idea was first pitched by City Commissioner […]
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Family of Houseless Woman Files Wrongful Death Complaint Against Sweeps Contractor
A Rapid Response Bio-Clean truck parked near a Southeast Portland homeless encampment. Alex Zielinski The family of Debby Ann Beaver, a Portland woman who died while living unhoused in 2019, has filed a lawsuit against Rapid Response Bio-Clean, the city contractor hired to clear homeless encampments. The wrongful death suit accuses Rapid Response of confiscating […]
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Support for Renters Falls Short As Eviction Moratorium Ends
RETROROCKET / GETTY IMAGES In Multnomah County, the predicted “wave of evictions” expected to follow the end of Oregon’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium has begun to crest. The state’s moratorium expired on June 30. In the month of July, Multnomah County saw 109 eviction notices for tenants due to unpaid rent, according to data collected by […]
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As City Clears Laurelhurst Homeless Camp, Unhoused Portlanders Enter Familiar Cycle of Displacement
A tent sits empty Thursday morning, after its tenants packed up their belongings to relocate. Alex Zielinski On Wednesday afternoon at Laurelhurst Park, two women shared cigarettes and paintbrushes as they spread globs of acrylic paint over stretched canvas frames. Mama Zeigh, a woman in her mid 60s with a grey-flecked mohawk, worked on an […]
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City Will Sweep Laurelhurst Homeless Camp This Week
A row of tents on SE Oak, on a block adjacent to Laurelhurst Park. Alex Zielinski After months of simmering tension regarding the growing houseless encampment at Southeast Portland’s Laurelhurst Park, Portland City Council has approved a plan to evict campers by the end of the week. Early Monday morning, staff with the city’s Homelessness […]
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Here Are Where the City’s New Houseless Villages May Be Located
A map of all potential city properties that could be selected to serve as Safe Rest Villages. Google Maps In the face of rising homelessness across Portland, the city has proposed creating a number of sanctioned campsites for unhoused people across the city. The sites, dubbed “Safe Rest Villages,” are expected to serve as alternatives […]
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Multnomah County Renters Protected From Eviction for 90 Days Under New Policy
Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury speaking at a March 2020 press conference. Motoya Nakamura / Multnomah County The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted Thursday to give renters 90 days of protection from eviction for non-payment of rent, now that the statewide eviction moratorium has come to an end. In a morning board meeting, […]
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Federal Government Extends Eviction Moratorium to July 31
Protest signs at a June 15 eviction protest in downtown Portland. Alex Zielinski The federal government has extended the end of the national eviction moratorium from June 30 to July 31—giving tenants an additional month to gather rent money. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the extension Thursday, noting that it […]
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City Council to Discuss New Guidelines for Clearing Houseless Encampments
Staff contracted with HUCIRP remove trash and belongings from a SE Oak encampment alongside Laurelhurst Park in November. ALEX ZIELINSKI Portland City Council will consider next week a plan to “de-prioritize” sweeping certain homeless campsites based on their location. The proposed ordinance, drafted by City Commissioner Dan Ryan, directs the city department tasked with clearing […]