Homeless in Oregon given right to sue anyone for $1k who tell them to move
Homeless people in Oregon could be given the right to sue anybody who tries to move them for $1,000 (£796) under legislation being considered in the state.
Democrats, who hold the majority in the state’s House of Representatives, have drawn up a bill which would decriminalise the tent cities which have been pitched on public spaces.
The bill would allow unhoused people to stay “without discrimination and time limitations”.
It adds: “Many persons in Oregon have experienced homelessness as a result of economic hardship, a shortage of safe and affordable housing, the inability to obtain gainful employment and a disintegrating social safety net system.”
It is the latest piece of controversial progressive legislation in Oregon, which has been dubbed by critics as America’s wokest state.
In 2021, Oregon decriminalised the possession of small amounts of heroin, cocaine, meth and other controlled drugs for personal use.
Right to Rest Act
Known as the “Right to Rest Act”, the latest bill defines harassment as a "knowing and wilful course of conduct directed at a person experiencing homelessness that a reasonable person would consider as seriously alarming, tormenting or terrorising of the person experiencing homelessness."
Critics have pointed out that there are no reciprocal sanctions protecting residents against harassment at a time when crime has reportedly soared in its major cities, including Portland.
The measure has attracted considerable local opposition, with critics saying the soaring number of homeless camps has driven some residents away from the state.
Many have voiced their anger in the public responses to the proposal.
“We need to stop enabling the homeless and robbing them of the pride of making it on their own. It also just draws more homeless to our city,” wrote resident Gretchen Blyss.
In his response, Jeffrey Bennett warned the bill “would trigger a cavalcade of civil lawsuits against law-abiding citizens and property owners whilst providing attorneys ample opportunities to pocket large fees at the public's expenses”.
Megan Fraction added: “I work in low-income housing and the criminality associated with said camps have made my vulnerable residents less safe and with police response times this is a recipe for disaster.”
