Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler Expands Emergency Declaration On Homeless Camping To Schools

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler on Friday expanded his emergency declaration on homelessness to include banning camping within 150 feet of schools.

The declaration prohibits camping around school buildings and along priority routes to and from schools.

“School-age children should be able to walk, bike, and ride buses to get to and from schools without potentially dangerous hazards as a result of encampments, including trash, tents in the right-of-way, biohazards, hypodermic needles, and more,” Mayor Wheeler said.

It also prioritizes the work of the Impact Reduction Program to remove campers in these areas and make sure they do not return.

With the start of the school year approaching, I am taking additional action today to help ensure the safety of school-age children, especially those in elementary and middle schools, as they travel to and from local schools.https://t.co/vQUhZutgls

— Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) August 19, 2022

The Mayor’s original executive declaration was issued on February 4th, banning camps in numerous locations across the city including state-owned property along highways and high-crash corridors.  The declaration came to be after the Vision Zero Traffic Crash Report 2021 from the Portland Bureau of Transportation found 70% of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2021 were homeless.

The city has been removing unsanctioned campsites by first posting notice a minimum of 72 hours before removal and educating those on alternative living arrangements.  Areas along highways deemed most dangerous are being given priority.