Streets near Safe Rest Villages still ‘full with tents’ despite enforcement, neighbors say
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The City of Portland will soon resume enforcement of its camping ban, but for the areas surrounding Safe Rest Villages, enforcement never stopped.
That is, if you depend on the city’s fact sheet citing an administrative rule that prohibits the establishment of camps within 150 feet of these areas. Neighbors say otherwise.
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At Menlo Park Safe Rest Village, those in charge of removing unsanctioned camps claim they have visited the site twice while homeowners like Karen Alvarez said the city has failed its promises.
Alvarez spoke with KOIN 6 News two years ago – before the site opened – and said, “I noticed that it did clear out for a little while, so I almost feel like if the streets and the sidewalks were kept clear, the village might be OK.”
But her thoughts have since changed. On Thursday, she told KOIN 6 News the issue has only gotten worse despite multiple reports. She said she is struggling to keep tenants safe.
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Recently, a man was caught on camera tearing apart Alvarez’s fence. But Jovita Diaz, who has only rented her home for a year and a half, said this is a near nightly occurrence
“The street is full with tents now. They’re fighting out there,” she said. “He body slammed a guy down to the ground the other day. There’s one guy named Sean – we got that on the camera – he broke our fence for the fourth time.”
She said she didn’t report the property damage because she had already filed three police reports ranging from trespassing to a stolen vehicle.
Ann McMullen with the Hazelwood Neighborhood Association said that shouldn’t be the case.
“It’s not OK for neighbors to sit there, for a month, six weeks. That’s supposed to be a buffer zone,” McMullen said. “It is supposed to be enforced in a timely manner. …Getting help is like banging your head against a car door.”
McMullen said her issue is not with the Safe Rest Village, its provider Cultivate Initiatives, or the Impact Reduction Program — but with PBOT’s Vehicle Inspection Team.
The PBOT team, also under the City’s Street Services Coordination Center, is tasked with tagging and towing any camps in vehicles.
“That’s where the holdup is in this situation,” said a representative with the city’s Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program. She asked to remain anonymous due to recent harassment and doxing concerns facing the team.
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She added, “The problem is the budget comes from different sources and PBOT’s budget has been really constrained. They just aren’t resourced to keep up with the demand that exists out there to address lived in vehicles.”
In the meantime, they have urged residents to remain patient.
“A lot of what we’re doing is moving people around, because there isn’t enough shelter. There isn’t enough housing,” she added
Diaz said she doesn’t know what else to do.
“The city promised they weren’t going to allow that,” she said. “I’ve seen signs, like little green papers that say they’re not allowed to camp. Now then I see the police go by it, but I don’t feel like they’re enforcing it.”
To report issues related to unsanctioned camping, visit the City of Portland’s website.
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