Portland considers building sleep 'pods' for homeless camps.
Portland, Oregon, plans to replace tents with "sleeping pods" at homeless camps, which can be funded with state assistance. The city aims to create six large outdoor camps to reduce and ultimately ban homeless camping in all public spaces. However, tents do not meet habitability requirements outlined by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, and sleeping pods could qualify for county funding. The city has set aside $27 million to construct and operate three of the six tent sites for a year, with plans to build an additional three camps within the next two years. Some homeless advocates argue that a mass encampment plan would prove an ineffective use of money and resources and could further harm or traumatize residents.