Community members,
We are pleased to provide a summary of last week’s Street Services Coordination Center (SSCC) activity. The SSCC is a collaborative team that streamlines services offered to those living outside and expedites homelessness related cleanup efforts throughout Portland in a compassionate manner. Our team is comprised of the Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program, Fire & Rescue, police, transportation, parks and recreation, and Multnomah County. Together we’ve taken a collective approach to remove campsites that pose the highest risk to health and safety.
Shelter referrals
The SSCC has designated shelter beds available to those impacted by campsite removals. We have offered shelter beds to thousands of people experiencing homelessness since April 2022. The data below only represents the number of people who expressed interest in a shelter referral last week and a call was made to determine availability.
- 57 people expressed an interest in a shelter referral
- 41 people accepted shelter referrals
- 19 people used a shelter bed for at least one night
- Total shelter referrals since April 11, 2022: 4,170
- Total people who have used a shelter bed: 1,486
Campsite assessment, cleanup and removal highlights
The Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program assesses reported campsites, picks up garbage, provides resource referrals, and removes sites that pose health and safety risks. Using empathy and innovation, we minimize the impacts of homelessness while partner programs expand long-term access to safe, affordable housing.
From April 29-May 5, 2024, the Impact Reduction Program:
- Received 2,140 new campsite reports; including 858 of people living in vehicles
- Observed about 508 active campsites, accounting for duplicate reports about the same locations and including vehicle campsites
- Assessed approximately 713 campsites, engaging with people living there, collecting garbage and biohazardous materials, and coordinating with service providers
- Removed 145 campsites that posed a risk to health and safety, safely storing campers' personal property
Summary
- Shelter referrals offered: 57
- Shelter referrals accepted: 41
- Shelter beds used: 19
- Campsite reports received: 2,140
- Total active campsites observed: 508
- Campsite assessments: 713
- Campsites removed: 145
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Take a look at the Impact Reduction Program Dashboard
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