From July through March, Oregon’s largest city, Portland, has removed 4,182 homeless campsites, primarily from sidewalks. The city estimates each campsite typically includes at least three tents, suggesting over 12,000 tents were cleared from city property during this period, according to attorney John DiLorenzo.

“It dawned on me: Wait a minute, 12,000 tents is more than we have homeless people on the street,” remarked DiLorenzo, who sued Portland in 2022 on behalf of disabled residents needing clear sidewalks.

National Review reports that as part of a settlement agreement last year, Portland agreed to prioritize removing campsites obstructing sidewalks and set up a system for reporting problematic camps. The city also ceased distributing tents and tarps to the homeless, except during severe weather.

DiLorenzo praised the city’s efforts to honor the agreement but sought to understand why tents still clutter some sidewalks. He points to Multnomah County’s Joint Office of Homeless Services as a potential cause. County data show that from May 2023 to May 2024, the Joint Office distributed thousands of camping supplies, including 6,492 tents, 6,635 sleeping bags, 23,928 tarps, 16,980 rain ponchos, and 35,283 blankets, primarily through nonprofits and religious organizations.

Critics argue this cycle is costly and counterproductive: while Portland spends millions clearing encampments, the Joint Office spends millions more providing replacement tents and supplies. This has fueled tension and distrust between city and county leaders over their approaches to homelessness.

Portland, led by Democrats moving towards a less permissive stance on homeless camping, is investing $26 million to clear camps from city property. DiLorenzo noted that polls show even progressive Portlanders are weary of “warehousing people outdoors.” Conversely, county leaders remain in a “left-wing ideological echo chamber,” continuing to distribute camping gear as a “humane” response while increasing shelter capacity.

City leaders argue that providing tents perpetuates self-destructive behaviors and incentivizes outdoor living, obstructing efforts to keep the city clean and comply with the settlement. DiLorenzo likened the situation to “trying to mop up a water spill, and the guy upstairs won’t turn off the faucet.”

Some Portland leaders now advocate withdrawing from the intergovernmental agreement funding the Joint Office, established in 2016 to centralize homeless services. The current contract expires soon, with a proposed extension requiring Portland to contribute $25 million next year and $31 million the following year, a fraction of the Joint Office’s $400 million budget. However, county leaders direct the Joint Office’s operations.

Mayor Ted Wheeler supports continued funding, seeing it as an opportunity to shape policy and leverage additional funding. Commissioner Mingus Mapps disagrees, suggesting the city shouldn’t pay to have a say in the regional response. He emphasizes that continued participation should depend on the county adhering to the settlement.

Jessica Vega Pederson, chairwoman of the Multnomah County commission, defends the county’s strategy, calling it a humane response to homelessness. County data shows the Joint Office directly distributed 735 tents, 2,940 tarps, and 6,078 blankets during severe weather.

DiLorenzo criticizes the notion that distributing tents is humane, arguing it encourages outdoor living. He contends that Portland’s homeless crisis isn’t driven by a lack of housing but by severe mental health and addiction issues among the homeless, making them incapable of paying rent.

DiLorenzo believes if tents and tarps were unavailable, more homeless individuals would seek indoor alternatives, aligning with the city’s goals. “If there are no tents and tarps available, more people will get frustrated with that and will choose the indoor alternative,” he said. “Which is what we want.”