Oregon Bill to Protect Homeless Encampments Stopped in its Tracks

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Renaudah via FreeImages

The bill HB 3501, which was proposed earlier this year, would guarantee the rights of homeless people living in tents, vehicles, or other temporary shelters to inhabit public spaces, including abandoned buildings or parking lots, parks, and other areas that are not privately owned.  This bill's purpose was to reallocate funds from law enforcement homeless sweeps to programs that would help rehouse homeless people or provide emergency shelter.  

The bill would be a step in the right as law enforcement sweeps in Portland forcibly remove and relocate homeless people and often strip them of their possessions and leave them without any shelter.  These homeless sweeps are known to be traumatizing for those already disenfranchised and vulnerable.  And with the increase in homeless sweeps in there is no increase in temporary shelters to compensate for the confiscation of tents and tarp shelters.  It can take years of waiting for homeless people to get housing services, and taking away their little resources is not the solution.

The bill was called a "distraction" by Oregon House Majority Leader Julie Fahey and faced public opposition during its original hearing due to the concern that protecting homeless encampments would decrease the usability and safety of public spaces.  However, public spaces are the often only places where homeless people have an opportunity to settle, and violently displacing them is not a solution that will work in the long term and will only increase the risks and fatalities of homeless individuals.  It is essential to protect what little resources exist for people experiencing homelessness and work on providing emergency and permanent housing and care rather than forcing them to move and ignoring the critical issues.

Resources:

Almsay, Steve, et al. "Oregon bill that would decriminalize homeless encampments and propose penalties if unhoused people are harassed will not move forward." CNN, 11 May 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/05/10/us/oregon-homeless-camp-bill-stalled/index.html. Accessed 24 May 2023.

Hayden, Nicole. "More than 20 Old Town encampments home to hundreds of people swept in past few days." The Oregonian, 12 May 2022, www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/05/more-than-20-old-town-encampments-home-to-dozens-of-people-swept-in-past-few-days.html#:~:text=In%20Multnomah%20County%2C%20more%20than%203%2C000%20people%20are,that%2091%25%20of%20them%20had%20experienced%20a%20sweep. Accessed 24 May 2023.

"2023 Regular Session HB 3501." Oregon Legislative Information, Oregon State Legislature, olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB3501. Accessed 24 May 2023.


-Sydney Phillips



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