Portland teams removed 137 campsites in final week of October

A coalition of city and county agencies removed 137 campsites from Portland streets between Oct. 26 and Nov. 1, 2026. The Street Services Coordination Center (SSCC) reported that these sites presented specific risks to public health and safety. Crews stored the personal property of residents at each cleared location.

The Impact Reduction Program, a key component of the SSCC, logged 1,492 new reports of encampments during that week. This total includes 309 reports of individuals living in vehicles. The program noted that some reports referred to the same physical location. Assessment teams visited 403 active campsites where people were currently living. Staff engaged with residents at these sites whenever possible.

In addition to removals, crews assessed approximately 683 reported locations. Workers collected garbage and biohazardous materials from these areas. The SSCC describes its approach as a collaborative effort involving the Impact Reduction Program, Fire & Rescue, police, transportation, parks and recreation, and Multnomah County. The group aims to streamline services for people living outside.

Shelter availability remained a focal point of the weekly activity. The center offered shelter referrals to 22 people who expressed interest in housing options. Nine of those individuals accepted the referrals. Three people used a designated shelter bed for at least one night during the reporting period. The data tracks only those who expressed interest and for whom staff made a call to check availability.

Since April 11, 2022, the SSCC has provided a cumulative total of 10,007 shelter referrals. Of those, 3,005 people have used a shelter bed at least once. The center states that its team has worked to offer shelter to thousands of people experiencing homelessness since that start date. The weekly report serves as a summary of the SSCC's operational activities for the specified dates.