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In the background is an image of an orange fence and text in the foreground reads, "The Orange Fence Project" and below that, "Homelessness policy, enforcement, and impact in Portland.

Homelessness policy, enforcement and impact in Portland

Street Roots

About the project:

The Orange Fence Project seeks to improve public understanding of the daily lives of homeless Portlanders and the systemic and personal circumstances through which people became homeless. By reporting on personal experiences, testimony, data and improving accountability for public officials, Street Roots will identify and report more feasible steps to address homelessness.

Homelessness and the enforcement of local laws on homeless people are almost entirely untracked by independent groups. As a result, the effects of these laws and enforcement — positive or negative — are largely unstudied and unknown. By engaging community members and implementing a solutions journalism framework, this project will address gaps in public knowledge while revealing potential solutions to systemic issues. 

Through rigorous reporting, public record gathering, crowdsourced information and continued observation, Street Roots will provide a comprehensive overview of homelessness policy, enforcement and impact in Portland.

  • Street Roots
    A bright orange collage. In the background is the pattern of an orange plastic fence, commonly associated with sweeps of homeless encampments. Above that and slightly opaque are piles of trash bags and a tent. In the foreground is a thermometer indicating

    City contractors swept homeless Portlanders during state of emergency

    Mayor Ted Wheeler declared a state of emergency July 22 due to the impending danger of extreme heat, but city contractors continued sweeping homeless encampments until at least July 25 at noon
    By
    K. Rambo
    August 3, 2022
  • Street Roots
    The ornate arches of Old Town/Chinatown in Portland.

    Portland’s new shelter referral system becoming less effective with time

    Street Services Coordination Center offering fewer shelter referrals as sweeps increase
    By
    Tyler Walicek K. Rambo
    July 20, 2022
  • Street Roots
    A photo of the ornate gateway arch that leads into Portland's Old Town/ Chinatown neighborhood. The arch is flanked by two bronze lion stratues.

    Homeless people are more likely to be victims of violence than housed people

    For many housed people, there is a tendency to conflate unhoused populations with violent crime and danger, but crime rates tell a different story.
    By
    Piper McDaniel
    July 13, 2022
  • Street Roots
    A photo of the White Stag building. The "Portland Oregon" sign sits atop the building. The sign has an outline of the state of Oregon and a deer leaping over the words. Black text says, "swept away" on the right side of the image.

    Old Town’s 90-day ‘reset’ yields sweeps with little notice, no advance postings

    Unhoused Portlanders swept using the tactic say it undermines safety, stability and human dignity
    By
    K. Rambo
    July 6, 2022
  • Street Roots

    City of Portland posts many homeless encampments at least twice before a sweep

    The city extends the legal window for sweeps by posting and reposting encampments, which can cause distress and logistical issues for unhoused Portlanders
    By
    K. Rambo
    June 22, 2022
  • Street Roots

    Editorial | Street Roots launches independent Sweep Tracker

    Street Roots’ independent Sweep Tracker will use crowdsourced information to provide accountability
    By
    SR editorial board
    June 1, 2022
  • Street Roots
    Two signs hang on a fence outside the Queer Affinity Village. The signs say, "respect people's privacy" and "there's no place in portland for hate"

    Neighborhood associations demand criminal background checks in Safe Rest Villages citywide, prompting discrimination concerns

    City officials did not say if background checks are being considered
    By
    Piper McDaniel
    May 25, 2022
  • Street Roots
    Rows of bunk beds line both sides of a room in a shelter.

    Despite increased capacity, still not enough shelter beds

    There are only 1,600 shelter beds in Multnomah county for more than 4,000 people experiencing homelessness
    By
    Melanie Henshaw
    March 30, 2022
  • Street Roots
    An illustration of a scale with a tent on one side and a building on the other side.

    Business owners asked for sweeps and got them

    Close ties raise questions about fairness in the city’s effort to alleviate homelessness
    By
    Piper McDaniel
    March 30, 2022
  • Street Roots
    In the background is an image of an orange fence and text in the foreground reads, "The Orange Fence Project" and below that, "Homelessness policy, enforcement, and impact in Portland.

    Editorial | Introducing The Orange Fence Project

    Focusing on homelessness policy, enforcement and impact in Portland
    By
    SR editorial board
    March 9, 2022

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