How Did Lived-In Vehicles Become a Crisis?
Every night, thousands of people sleep unsheltered on sidewalks or in tents, vehicles, and RVs on the streets of Portland. As our local homelessness crisis has continued, unregistered, unlicensed, and damaged RVs have become a common sight on city streets. The majority of lived-in RVs and trailers illegally parked in Portland do not have required registration, proof of ownership, or insurance, and are in poor condition, often degraded, damaged, or leaking to the point where they pose health and safety dangers to occupants, other road users, and the wider community.
These aging vehicles have become easy to obtain because, for owners who no longer want them, they are expensive to responsibly dispose of. Most private RV campgrounds and parks don’t allow RVs over 10 years old, and those who do often require older vehicles to pass a rigorous inspection before being admitted. These restrictions make older models hard to use and difficult to resell, making disposal of the RV the only responsible option. Unfortunately, disposal services often cost $2,000 or more.
This expense has created a market of free or cheap older RVs that find their way onto Portland streets via regional online resale listing platforms, or by casual for sale by owner transactions.
Why is this a problem?
RVs deteriorate over time, especially when parked outdoors for long periods without proper coverage or winterization. The resulting damage and wear can lead to significant health and safety risks both to occupants and the surrounding community.
On the outside, aging materials and weather damage can cause cracks and erode window and door seals, exposing occupants to the elements and bringing moisture inside the vehicle, leading to the potential for hazardous mold. Wear and damage to an RV’s interior can also expose wiring and insulation and, for RVs manufactured before the 1980s, that insulation may contain dangerous asbestos, in addition to posing extreme fire risk. First responders are exposed to these same health and safety hazards whenever they need to enter a vehicle in an emergency.
Because there are no electrical RV hookups in public spaces in Portland, RVs on the streets have no access to power. The lack of electricity can force occupants to use external heating, lighting, and cooking devices that pose significant dangers. Open flames from cook stoves and candles pose extreme fire risk, and fuels from appliances inside can further feed flames. Those same fuels can also leak into the confined interior of an RV, putting occupants at serious hazard of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can lead to severe illness or death.
Media reports of incidents involving RV fires and carbon monoxide poisoning
- November 14, 2019: 2 dead in camper trailer near The Dalles; carbon monoxide poisoning suspected
- March 16, 2021: SE Portland RV Fire Claims The Life of One and Their Dog
- Feb 17, 2021: 4 die of carbon monoxide poisoning in Clackamas County while trying to keep warm amid winter storm
- Jan 24, 2023: ‘Boom! Trailer blew up': Portland residents share concerns
- March 6, 2023: WATCH: Fire engulfs motorhome parked in Old Town
- March 28, 2023: RV fire engulfs fiber optic cables, KOs internet in Portland
- Sept 8, 2023: 3 separate RVs burn within hour in east Portland
- Sept 29, 2023: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxxwvH5sTGy/
- Jan 13, 2024: Tragic RV Fire Claims One Life
- Jan 18, 2024 Officials respond to multiple RV's on fire in NE Portland
- July 3, 2024: Portland Fire responds to RV blaze north of Linnton
- Feb 26, 2025: Early morning RV fire in Portland results in total loss, potential pet fatalities reported
- March 25, 2025: Man found dead after RV fire in Clark County neighborhood
While health and safety risks are most urgent for the people inside, there are concerns for the whole community when derelict RVs are parked on public streets not designed for vehicle camping.
Because there are no "blackwater" RV hookups in public spaces in Portland, RVs on the streets have no access water, or any means to dispose of wastewater. With no wastewater hookups, graywater, sewage tank, and gas and oil leaks, spills and discharge can pollute groundwater, posing public health threats.
Traffic safety and public accessibility are also concerns. Some streets can become dangerously narrow, have visibility hampered, or have sidewalks and bike lane accessibility obstructed. When RVs are parked near or within public parks, trails access can be impeded and natural spaces are impacted. These dangers are heightened for vulnerable road and parks users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, wheelchair users, and individuals experiencing disabilities.
How big is the problem?
There is no definitive count of the number of lived-in vehicles in Portland. Every week, new vehicles appear on city streets, while others are abandoned, towed, or driven away. However, some indicators suggest there could be as many 800-900 lived-in vehicles inside the Portland city limits on any given day. Other estimates are higher.
In 2024, the city’s Impact Reduction Program received 51,851 total community reports about camps with vehicles - about 44% of all camp reports indicated the presence of vehicles (please note that number includes duplicated reports). Those incoming reports undergo a process of deduplication, and teams are dispatched to assess each unique site reported. In 2024, those assessment teams counted an average of 836 vehicles per week at the camps they visited.
How is the City of Portland responding?
The City is investing significant resources to tackle this problem. Here are the steps we’re already taking.
- When we get a report of a lived-in vehicle on a city street, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) responds, tagging vehicles in violation of city code with warning stickers.
- If a tagged vehicle doesn't move, it's towed.
- PBOT's Vehicle Inspection Team is a specialized group that responds to RVs and lived-in vehicles, specifically.
- Vehicle Inspection Team staff can give RV occupants connections to services and resources, including referrals to available shelter, such as the RV safe park.
- We maintain an RV safe park at N Portland Road where folks can sleep in their vehicle while storing it safely as they go to work or access services in the community. (The RV safe park at NE Sunderland Avenue will be decommissioned in September 2025.)
- Outreach workers visit lived-in RVs as often as they can to offer services and connect people to shelter.
- The work of towing lived-in vehicles often requires coordination with the Portland Police Bureau and with Impact Reduction Program crews, who manage the removal of tents, property and debris on the street and sidewalk.
We are working to lower the number of derelict vehicles introduced onto Portland streets, increase the number of derelict vehicles towed, and reduce the cost burden of managing this crisis.
The City of Portland has recently implemented or is working to implement the following actions:
- Step up enforcement of tag warrants, where we tow vehicles that have accumulated more than six unpaid parking citations, or unpaid fees totaling more than $500.
- Increase the number of Community Caretaking tows. These are initiated by Portland Police officers when a vehicle poses a hazard, a danger to public safety, or other concern.
- Add towing and enforcement personnel and increase efficiency of towing operations.
- Add additional storage lot capacity for towed RVs.
- Once a lived-in vehicle is towed, we will no longer waive the fees for getting it back.
- Sending invoices for towing and disposal fees to the last known registered owners of towed RVs.
Resources
As the City of Portland invests in shelter and outreach, we have new options available that offer an immediate alternative to sleeping in a derelict vehicle. At the City’s new overnight shelter locations, anyone can arrive and find a bed for themselves, there's no reservation required.
The City also maintains an RV safe park at N Portland Road.
If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness:
- Call 2-1-1 or browse Multnomah County’s list of shelters and temporary housing.
- Find a City overnight shelter.
- Find a day center to get connected to services, find food, water, showers, secure storage for your belongings, and more (services vary by location).
- Access other resources like behavioral health support, legal support, case management and more.
- Call 3-1-1 or fill out this form to be connected to a City outreach worker or to request a ticket home if you have shelter or housing available in another city.
- If your vehicle has been towed and you need information, call 503-823-0044. To coordinate retrieval of personal property with a towed RV, call Rapid Response BioClean at 503-477-8765.
If an RV, other lived-in vehicle, or encampment is impacting you, report it to the City. Use the online campsite report form or call 3-1-1 to report a vehicle or camp - it takes less than 5 minutes.
If you see a vehicle with a leak, or spot any pollution or spill, call the Bureau of Environmental Services Spill Hotline at 503-823-7180, or 3-1-1 can transfer you.
If you own an RV that you need to dispose of, do so responsibly. Disposal services are available through: