Over 100 Portlanders Connected to Shelter in First Five Weeks of Camping Enforcement

The City of Portland today provided an update on camping ordinance enforcement, covering the first five weeks since enforcement resumed on November 1. The City's prioritizes connecting people experiencing homelessness to shelter and supportive services, while ensuring public spaces remain safe and accessible.

During the first five weeks of resumed enforcement, citations were issued only when shelter offers were declined or when campsites violated restrictions outlined in City Code. Individuals with outstanding warrants or who were engaged in criminal activity were subject to arrest. No one has been arrested solely for camping.

"As I said from the beginning, we cannot arrest our way out of homelessness," said Mayor Keith Wilson. "We've seen a large number of people with outstanding warrants living on our streets. Enforcement has provided these individuals with an opportunity to resolve the issues keeping them on the streets. We're seeing more and more people connect to life-saving care, and that is the true measure of success."

Citywide Report: November 1-Dec 7 Overview:

What This Data Tells Us

Data shows that 111 people accepted shelter services and moved from camping on the street to spending the night inside at an overnight shelter during the first five weeks of enforcement. In addition, 388 warnings were issued compared to just 20 citations, underscoring the City's emphasis on education and outreach. Officers also served 124 outstanding warrants. Overall, 540 people were contacted during enhanced patrols, reflecting the scale of outreach and engagement across the city.

Who Does the Enforcement?

The camping ordinance is enforced by the Portland Police Bureau's Neighborhood Response Teams and the Central Precinct Bike Squad. These teams are trained and have prior experience enforcing this ordinance. They are familiar with engaging individuals experiencing homelessness and bring that experience to their enforcement approach.

Police coordinate with the Portland Bureau of Transportationto manage the removal of lived-in vehicles, ensuring enforcement efforts address both sidewalk and roadway impacts.

Portland Police work closely with outreach teams and have access to real-time availability information for the City's overnight shelters, as well as referral pathways to other local shelter beds.

Update on Shelters

The City of Portland recently reached Mayor Keith Wilson's ambitious goal of creating capacity for 1,500 emergency overnight shelter beds through a strategic blend of stable and flexible sleeping units.

The City's overnight shelters and day centers offer safe spaces for people experiencing homelessness to rest and connect to services. With these resources now online, the City is prepared to take actions that will reduce public camping and encourage individuals indoors, putting them on a path toward permanent stability. Reinforcement of the camping regulations is part of the Mayor's broader plan to end unsheltered homelessness while repairing, restoring, and revitalizing Portland.

Read more about the camping ordinance.

Past weekly reports:

Camping enforcement November 1-5

Camping enforcement November 6-12

Camping enforcement November 13-19

Background

Enforcement was paused earlier this year to expand shelter capacity and refine a service-first approach. Outreach teams coordinate with shelter operators, the Impact Reduction Program, and public safety partners to make individualized shelter offers and evaluate suitability before any enforcement action.

For full details about the ordinance, enforcement criteria, and shelter options, visit www.portland.gov/sscc/camping-ordinance.

The City is working to integrate enforcement updates into the Portland Police Bureau's Open Data portal. Until then, reports will continue to be manually compiled and shared. For specific data requests, contact [email protected].

Don't report encampments to 911. Call 311 or use the City's reporting portal. If you see someone in crisis, call Portland Street Response by dialing 911 or 503-823-PSR3 (7773).