Frank, a homeless man sits in his tent with a river view in Portland, Ore., Saturday, June 5, 2021. The city council in Portland, Oregon, has approved new homeless camping rules. Under the rules, people who reject offers of shelter can face penalties, including fines of up to $100 or up to seven days in jail. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein)
Those who accept offers of shelter won't be cited, according to Wheeler's office. For those who are cited, the courts will determine whether to waive fines. The ordinance says it encourages diverting people to assessment, emergency shelter or housing instead of jail.
The mayor's office said the new rules seek to comply with a state law that requires cities to have "objectively reasonable" restrictions on when, where and how people camp in public. A previous, stricter version of the ordinance that banned camping during daylight hours, at risk of fines or jail time, has been put on hold by a judge as a lawsuit challenging the measure filed by advocates on behalf of homeless people makes its way through the courts.
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The measure comes as Portland and other cities across the U.S. West struggle to address a growing number of homeless encampments. Many officials say they need to be able to manage encampments to keep streets safe and sanitary, while advocacy groups say people shouldn't be criminally punished for lacking housing.
The U.S. Supreme Court, after hearing a case brought by the small Oregon town of Grants Pass, is weighing whether cities can punish people for sleeping outside when shelter space is lacking. It's the most significant case before the high court in decades on the issue and comes amid record homelessness nationwide.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/portland-oregon-oks-new-homeless-camping-rules-threaten-fines-jail-some-cases