Last updated: September 8, 2022
General information
What is the Street Services Coordination Center?
The Street Services Coordination Center is a collaborative effort between multiple City bureaus and offices and it also works closely with Multnomah County in order to provide streamlined services to those living outside. The Streets Services Coordination Center engages in outreach to unsheltered individuals, encampments, and vehicles through a coordinated command structure. The center's primary focus is individuals living in high impact encampments (see Council Ordinance 190478), and individuals living in RVs and vehicles.
The Streets Services Coordination Center coordinates both the connection of unsheltered individuals to shelter and other services and supports coordination of encampment cleanings and removals. As available and based upon eligibility, the program provides access to congregate shelter, safe rest villages, or hotel rooms and immediate transportation to those locations.
How can I get a shelter referral?
Referrals can only be made directly by SSCC outreach workers. Outreach workers conduct their work in the field, and locations vary on a day-to-day basis. We are unable to take third party referral requests or requests sent by email at this time.
Anyone interested in emergency shelter should call 211 or visit Shelter and Homeless Services for additional shelter information.
How does this structure differ from the current structure?
This structure has many positive impacts. The goal is to send an outreach worker to provide initial engagement with a person experiencing homelessness. They will provide available shelter alternatives first, before any other actions are taken. Engagement could include offering available locations at congregate shelters, Safe Rest Villages, designated RV safe parking sites, and other alternatives. For agencies involved in public space management or as a first responder trying to find alternative locations for unhoused Portlanders to go, this structure will ensure one point of contact for them to find access to available services.
Since the SSCC was created under an emergency declaration, does that mean the SSCC is temporary? And if so, what will happen when the declaration expires?
Emergency declarations must be renewed every two weeks, per City code. We anticipate the declaration will be extended for at least one year, but we are also exploring options that allow for greater flexibility and evolution.
Is there a way for the public to track this program’s progress? Will there be a website or social media account for more information?
The Street Services Coordination Center webpage is the best source of current program information.
The best way to stay apprised of general City of Portland announcements is to visit the following social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
Who oversees the Street Services Coordination Center?
A Street Services Coordination Center Incident Commander has been appointed to manage the SSCC. They report to the Community Safety Director.
Will there be public information about which camps have been posted and/or removed?
Information about which campsites have been posted and/or removed is publicly available online through the Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program’s weekly campsite reports. You can also request to have these reports emailed to you by signing up HERE.
What if someone doesn’t want to go to a shelter?
Although we will make shelter referrals, the decision to go to a shelter is 100% voluntary. No one will be forced to go to a shelter. Outreach providers will work with individuals on a case-by-case basis to identify which resources would be most helpful to them. Our outreach work is performed with compassion for the unsheltered, and we know there are many reasons why people may not want to go to a shelter. We are also mindful that the people who don't want to go to a shelter aren't necessarily the people who are creating a negative livability impact on our public spaces.
Only 100 beds are being held for this purpose - what if more than 100 people need a shelter bed?
Multnomah County and the City of Portland have agreed to allocate resources as needed and as available.
How can someone get referred into a Safe Rest Village?
Due to the extremely limited spaces available in the Multnomah Village Safe Rest Village, only those who are currently experiencing homelessness that receive a direct referral from a member of the SSCC outreach team are eligible for Safe Rest Village referrals. The SSCC works directly with the Joint Office of Homeless Services to determine whether there is space available.
If police respond to an emergency situation involving someone experiencing homelessness, do they notify the Street Services Coordination Center?
It really depends on the situation. A handful of Portland's law enforcement officers have been assigned to work on the Street Services Coordination Center team and they will work together as needed to properly address any emergency situations.
Are warming fires still allowed at camps, and how will the Street Services Coordination Center respond to them?
The SSCC will be following current Fire & Rescue Bureau protocols. This could change depending on direction from the Fire Chief.
Who were all the stakeholders involved in this restructuring?
This has been a continued and collaborative effort between the Mayor’s office, Commissioner Ryan’s office and the County Chair’s office. The Office of Management and Finance, Community Safety Division, and Joint Office of Homeless Services have provided key recommendations on structure and policy. All City Council offices and impacted bureaus had an opportunity to propose feedback.
Campsite reporting
Will reporting for campsites be different? Who does the public contact about campsites?
No, the process for reporting campsites will not change. The City’s Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program will continue to respond to campsite reports. Anyone who wants to report concerns about a campsite should visit PDX reporter or call the City's Information and Referral team at 311.
When will the public be able to see tangible outcomes of success? How will we know if this model is working and when can we expect to see those results?
First and foremost, the Incident Commander is going to work with the relevant agencies to determine metrics of success. There are a few different metrics we are using to measure success, which we will continue to utilize:
- Total number of people placed into a shelter
- Total number of engagements with people experiencing homelessness
- Total number of referrals to different service types
- Total number of encampment resolutions
- Quarterly tent and car counts to determine geographic need
How do we choose which camps the program visits first? Is there going to be a prioritization system?
The Impact Reduction Program’s campsite assessments begin when someone reports a concern. The work crew engages with people at the site, offers resources, picks up garbage identified by campers and conducts an assessment based on pre-established criteria:
- Proximity to high traffic corridors
- Conspicuous drug use or paraphernalia
- Impact on neighborhood livability
- Proximity to school, park with playground or private residence
- Environmental impact
- Restricts access by Americans with Disabilities Act standards
- Posted no-trespassing
- Size of camp
- Reported violence or crime
- Blocking public access
- Restricts maintenance
Based on the assessment, sites that pose the highest risk to health and safety are scheduled for removal. The City posts legal notices to inform people their campsite will be removed sometime between 72 hours and 10 days. When campsites are removed, personal property is stored for at least 30 days. People are encouraged to call and schedule a time to pick up their items.
Where are we putting people’s belongings after they are collected from a campsite removal?
Personal belongings collected from campsites will be stored at a city storage facility for at least 30 days. Property left for longer than 30 days will be destroyed or donated.
If someone wants to arrange pickup, they should call 503-387-1336 with the date, location and a description of items collected Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Please note that the city does not publicize the location of the storage facility for personal privacy reasons.
Are there restrictions on what kinds of items the City stores?
Yes, the City is legally required to store specific items. The City’s mandatory storage policy (along with a list of items that will and will not be stored) is available online.
What do I do if people experiencing homelessness return to an area that was cleaned?
Being homeless is not a crime, but Portland City Code can prohibit camping on public property. When necessary, the City mitigates the impact that camping has on public property by picking up trash, biohazards and personal property to reduce health and safety risks for the entire community, and when necessary we inform people they need to leave a specific site. However, we do not prevent people from returning to sites that have been cleaned. However, if sites become unsafe again, people are encouraged to report it.
Funding
If this was proposed as part of the Fall Budget Monitoring Process, why was it implemented as an emergency ordinance?
The emergency ordinance is focused on creating better access to services for those living unsheltered and in their vehicles. The Mayor, Commissioner Ryan and many Portlanders agree that the homelessness crisis in Portland is a critical emergency that requires immediate attention. Mayor Wheeler issued this emergency ordinance because he feels that it is no longer acceptable to wait several months for various agencies to reach unanimous agreement and sign memorandums of agreement outlining steps to move forward. Portland’s homelessness situation is an emergency and needs to be treated as such. People experiencing houselessness cannot wait any longer for assistance. People living unsheltered need services now.
What is the total amount of new funding being allocated for this restructuring, and where is that funding coming from?
The City and Multnomah County came to an agreement on a package that included the funding for the Street Services Coordination Center staffing, additional navigation teams and additional services.
Are any agencies losing allocated funds due to this new structure?
No, the Street Services Coordination Center is being funded with money allocated during the 2021 Fall Budget Monitoring Process. All agencies will keep their existing funding for the foreseeable future.