PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The City of Portland announced Thursday it will resume enforcement of its camping ban, following a pause as the city built more shelter space.

Enforcement of the camping ban ordinance — which Portland City Council passed in 2024 — will restart November 1 after Mayor Keith Wilson paused enforcement in February as the city and partner organizations built hundreds of emergency shelter beds.

With enforcement back in place, the city says it will emphasize connecting Portlanders to shelters and services rather than emphasizing arrest.

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“We can’t arrest our way out of homelessness, nor should we,” Mayor Keith Wilson said in a statement Thursday. “I’ve asked our police to issue citations for lawbreaking behavior and actions that harm our community. No one will be arrested simply for camping, nor should they.”

The city said Portlanders should not expect a sharp increase in the number of citations in the coming weeks, noting as the city adds resources, outreach teams and enforcement staff can offer shelter before issuing a citation.

The city notes that this policy differs from previous practices that focused on arrest when someone violated the ordinance.

Enforcement of the ban will be carried out by the Portland Police Bureau and officers can issue citations after reasonable alternative shelter — such as congregate shelters, hotel placements or other overnight facilities — are offered and declined or when a campsite violates other City Code restrictions.

Restrictions include camps that obstruct access to pedestrian zones or private property and camps that use fire or gas heaters around the site. Additional restrictions ban sites that assemble, disassemble or sell multiple bicycles or automobiles, along with sites that alter city infrastructure or camps that store personal belongings more than two feet away from the tent.

Those with outstanding warrants or who are engaging in criminal activity may also be subject to arrest. Courts will determine any penalties.

The city warns Portlanders to not report encampments to 911. Instead, the city asks community members to report camps by calling 311 or using the city’s reporting portal. If you see someone in crisis, the city asks community members to call Portland Street Response.

The announcement from the city comes as Portland has announced more than 1,000 additional overnight beds so far in 2025, adding to the 76 alternative shelters in the city’s portfolio.

Blanchet House Executive Director Scott Kerman said that with meal lines already getting long, it will be a double whammy when both SNAP benefits get frozen and Portland’s camping ban enforcement resumes on Saturday.

“The timing is probably not great,” Kerman said. “There hasn’t been a shortage of things to worry about, think about, planning for. And, you know, the camping ban enforcement is yet another thing.”

Kerman added he still has questions about how the enforcement will be carried out.

“So the question is if they’re going to give someone a citation, what happens next?” he said.

Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrissey O’Donnell issued the following statement in response to enforcement resuming:

Homelessness touches every corner of our community, and I appreciate and support Mayor Wilson’s leadership and the Portland Police Bureau’s ongoing work to address one of our region’s most urgent and visible challenges. Their approach reflects our shared values of never losing sight of dignity and safety.

Every day, I see the consequences of a system that is stretched beyond its limits. Complex social issues, often compounded by mental health and addiction, are being left to the criminal justice system to manage. My priority and responsibility are to use our jails in cases involving violence, victimization or ongoing criminal conduct associated with homelessness.

Our jails were never designed to absorb the weight of inadequate housing, medical, and behavioral health systems. They should not be seen as the default response to illegal camping or unmanaged crises.

We need to have a strengthened and coordinated, needs-based approach throughout Oregon and Multnomah County that provides access to shelter and specialized care for individuals who are homeless and find themselves intersecting with the criminal justice system. Enforcement and the use of our jails must reinforce those efforts, not replace them.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with and support the City of Portland to help ensure public safety and prioritize the continuum of care and compassion our community expects as we respond to homelessness.