Portland's Proposed Ban on Daytime Camping Sparks Emotional Debate at City Hall

The Portland City Council heard hours of testimony about Mayor Ted Wheeler’s plan to criminalize street camping, starting fires, and leaving trash on city property. The plan is likely to pass at next week’s City Council meeting and is in response to growing frustration among Portlanders with the hundreds of homeless camps that dot the city. The proposed ordinance would impose $100 fines or jail time of 30 days for offenders who violate camping rules three times. The council also approved the settlement of a lawsuit brought by citizens with disabilities who claimed that the city had violated the American with Disabilities Act by allowing homeless camps to block sidewalks.