Oregon County Agrees to Stop Handing Out Tents to Homeless, in Win for Portland Clean-Up Efforts

Multnomah County in Oregon is pausing its purchases of tents and tarps to distribute to the region’s homeless amid negotiations with leaders in Portland, who say the county’s practice of handing out camping gear is impeding their efforts to keep their city clean.

Jessica Vega Pederson, the chairwoman of the Multnomah County commission, directed the Joint Office of Homeless Services to put a freeze on new tent and tarp purchases, and to “compile data and information related to purchase and distribution” of the gear, according to local news reports.

“I am committed to setting clear policies around tent and tarp distribution,” she said in a prepared statement. “My goal is to reduce the need to hand out tents and tarps by increasing the number of shelter beds and moving more people off the street and out of shelter back into housing.”

National Review reported on Wednesday about the boiling conflict between the city and the county over their disjointed response to their shared homeless crisis.

After they were sued by a group of disabled residents for failing to keep their sidewalks clear, city leaders agreed to a settlement last year that requires them to prioritize removing encampments from sidewalks and to stop distributing camping gear to the homeless.

But that didn’t stop the county, through the Joint Office, from continuing to pass out camping supplies. While the city has cleared more than 4,000 encampments since last July — likely more than 12,000 tents — county data shows that since last May the Joint Office has distributed more than 6,400 tents, 6,600 sleeping bags, about 24,000 tarps, and more than 35,000 blankets. Most of the supplies were distributed to nonprofits and religious organizations that work with the homeless.

Frustrated city leaders are now considering if and how they will continue partnering with the Joint Office of Homeless Services, which is driven by county leaders. The city of Portland is expected to contribute $25 million next year and $31 million the following year to fund the Joint Office, though that is just a fraction of its nearly $400 million budget.

Some city leaders say the county must abide by their settlement agreement, which strictly limits when camping gear can be distributed to the homeless, including during severe weather.

City leaders welcomed Pederson’s willingness to work with them on a joint policy.

“I’m very appreciative of this collaborative step. Up, up, and away in making the city a cleaner place,” Rene Gonzalez, a Portland commissioner and candidate for mayor, said in a video.

Mayor Ted Wheeler told KOIN 6 News that the city and county need a “rationalized policy.”

“It doesn’t make any sense that with 6,000 homeless people on our streets we would hand out more than 6,000 tents and nearly five times that many tarps,” he said. “We need to know who is handing out tents and tarps, and under what circumstances.”

John DiLorenzo, the lawyer who sued the city for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, told National Review on Wednesday night that they are “making progress.”

But even if the city and county both agree to a policy strictly limiting when they will distribute camping gear, its likely that some local nonprofits will continue doing so on their own.

Liz Starke, a spokeswoman for the Portland nonprofit Rose Haven, told KOIN News that they will continue distributing camping gear, no matter how the city and county proceed.

“Nobody wants to live in a tent,” she told the station. “For us, regardless of what happens at these city council meetings, the work continues and people still need help.”

If the Joint Office stops providing Rose Haven with tents, she said they will then “have to rely on individuals to fundraise for those items.”