City Commissioners heard loud opposition and support Wednesday to a proposed city policy that would ban homeless camping across Portland. The seven hours of testimony, provided by more than 200 Portlanders, painted a clear picture of who stands to benefit from the plan—and who could be harmed by the ordinance as proposed. "I can tell you again and again, camping bans come up as something politicians brandish to placate some constituents while making life unbearable.
For the second time this year, a judge rejected a ballot initiative that could have dramatically changed how money is spent on Portland’s homeless crisis.