Portland removes 137 campsites in one week
City crews cleared 137 locations posing health risks while offering 22 shelter referrals, with only three people using a bed.
By Lauren Bello ·
Portland’s Street Services Coordination Center removed 137 campsites between October 26 and November 1, 2026. The city cleared these locations because they posed a risk to health and safety. Crews stored personal property from the removed sites.
The program began this weekly reporting structure in April 2022. Since then, the city has offered shelter beds to thousands of people. The data tracks only those who expressed interest in a referral during a specific week. The center combines efforts from police, fire, transportation, parks, and Multnomah County.
During the week of October 26, the Impact Reduction Program received 1,492 new campsite reports. This count includes 309 reports of people living in vehicles. The total includes duplicate reports for the same location. Teams assessed approximately 683 reported campsites. They collected garbage and biohazardous materials at these sites.
Assessment teams visited 403 active campsites. These are locations where they observed people currently living. Staff engaged with camp residents when possible. The city designated shelter beds for those affected by removals. In this specific week, 22 people expressed interest in a shelter referral.
Of those 22, nine people accepted the shelter referrals. Three people used a shelter bed for at least one night. The total number of shelter referrals offered since April 11, 2022, stands at 10,007. A total of 3,005 people have used a shelter bed during that period.
The Impact Reduction Program handles the assessment and cleanup. The team picks up garbage and provides resource referrals. They remove sites that present the highest risk. This process aims to minimize the impacts of homelessness. Partner programs work to expand access to safe and affordable housing.
The city continues to track these metrics on a weekly basis. The next report will cover activity following the November 1 cutoff. The data reflects the collaborative approach taken by the various city and county departments.
