PORTLAND, Ore. — There could be a new camping ordinance coming to the Portland area. This week, Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards proposed a countywide ban on homeless camping. The location of each camp would determine whether enforcement falls under city police or the county sheriff’s office.
“It absolutely needs to be done … Right now, the county doesn’t have any rules on the books, so if you’re in unincorporated Multnomah County or you’re, for example, on Multnomah County property on the bridgehead of the Hawthorne Bridge, there aren’t any restrictions,” Brim-Edwards explained. “This is really an attempt to have some uniformity to an approach to camping.”
Currently, cities within Multnomah County — like Portland and Gresham — have their own independent restrictions around homeless camps. Broadly speaking, it’s illegal to camp on public property when shelter is available. However, due to a lack of shelter, enforcement is sporadic…