Bend becomes latest Oregon city to restrict homeless camping

BEND, Ore. (AP) — City Council members in the central Oregon city of Bend have approved strict new rules for homeless camping that will limit where, when and how people can live outside, as a growing number of cities across the state seek to control encampments amid a surging homelessness crisis driven by an affordable housing shortage and the coronavirus pandemic.

OPB reports that the code change, approved Wednesday, will require people camping on city property and public right-of-ways such as sidewalks and landscaping strips to move locations by 600 feet, or one block, every 24 hours. Camping in residentially zoned areas will be banned completely.

To prevent large encampments from forming, the new measure also regulates how big camps can be — no more than 12 feet by 12 feet — and how far apart they must be — no closer than 150 feet. Only three camps per block will be allowed.

Additionally, the code dictates what homeless people can possess while living outdoors. Only items considered by the city as necessary will be allowed. The storage of property such as generators and household furniture will be prohibited, unless related to “camping, sleeping, or keeping warm and dry.”

The controversial code change elicited emotional reactions during Wednesday's meeting — mirroring similar contentious debates elsewhere in Oregon, including Portland, as cities across the state struggle to address homelessness on their streets.

As in other Oregon cities, Bend officials have found themselves in the middle of heated public wrangling over encampment sweeps. Bend has come under growing pressure from some residents to clear camps, but the vast majority of people who testified during Wednesday's meeting urged councilors not to pass the code change, according to OPB.

Councilor Mo Mitchell, who voted against the code,...