Recent discussions around enforcing camping bans have sparked debates that obscure our community’s true goals: ensuring that no one has to live in a tent to survive and maintaining safety for everyone. To achieve these goals, we must implement proven solutions that not only end homelessness but also enhance community well-being.
Directing Resources to Real Solutions
The City of Portland Mayor Wheeler was taken aback when Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell affirmed a long-standing policy: individuals arrested for violation of city ordinances are not booked unless there is a prior agreement between the jurisdictions. Several weeks ago, Portland police officers arrested the first person for violation of the city’s camping rules and brought him to the county jail for booking. MCSO staff declined to process him.
Sheriff Morrisey O’Donnell clarified MCSO’s commitment to community safety and thoughtful resource management: individuals arrested for violating state laws or posing a danger will be booked into jail. However, for city ordinance violations, the Sheriff emphasized that booking individuals requires a pre-established plan between the county and the city.
Sheriff O’Donnell explained that allocating limited jail resources to those whose only offense is lacking shelter neither serves public safety nor effectively addresses homelessness. This stance highlights the importance of directing resources towards solutions that genuinely improve community safety and tackle the root causes of homelessness.
To be clear, letting our neighbors languish in tents is not the answer—it’s not safe for them or for the broader community.
At the same time, arresting people for sleeping outside is not the answer – incarcerating someone costs $200 per day ($1,400 per week) and doesn’t address the root causes of homelessness. This tactic potentially compromises public safety by misallocating law enforcement resources.
To truly move those living outside into housing, our community needs to continue investing in strategies that work: rapidly housing people, delivering supportive services, and deploying outreach that meets individuals where they are. This approach, rather than punitive measures, is what will make our streets safer and help our neighbors in need.
We Need Solutions That Meet Individual’s Needs
Successful outreach provides options that meet an individual’s needs for safety and community and allow them to fulfill their commitments to their loved ones, like caring for a partner or a pet. If an offer of shelter requires someone to be separated from their partner, community, or pet they are being asked to forgo an important commitment.
Katie O’Brien, Rose Haven Day Shelter’s executive director, highlights that unhoused people must consider a lot of different factors when deciding to engage with services: do those services feel safe to a survivor of domestic violence, or an LGBTQ+ person who has faced discrimination before? Does the shelter offered allow them to continue supporting their friend through a mental health challenge? Can they stay in shelter with their partner or pet?
The city ordinance, as it is being implemented, fails to address these crucial concerns.
We Need a People-Centered Approach to Homeless Outreach
The reality is that people aren’t “service-resistant”—services often fail to meet their needs. Successful outreach should be measured by how many people accept services, because those services are designed with their needs in mind.
An effective example of people-centered engagement with unhoused people is the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office HOPE (Homeless Outreach and Programs Engagement) Team. HereTogether rode along with the HOPE Team to understand how their approach differs from other interactions with law enforcement.
HOPE Team’s Sergeant Brian Gerkman said, “We spend time on people who we can connect with. After a few months people understand we’re not trying to give them a hard time, so most people trust us.” This trust-based approach yields far better results than punitive measures.
Public safety and addressing homelessness are not competing interests—they are interconnected goals that require smart, collaborative strategies. The path forward isn’t through arrests or bans but through understanding, trust, and policies that focus on long-term solutions. By working together, we can create a community where everyone has a safe place to call home, and our streets are safer for all.
We all share the responsibility for making real, lasting change. Let’s focus on what works—proven solutions that prioritize both community safety and the dignity of every individual.