Becky Straus, an attorney of the Oregon Law Center, thinks that not allowing homeless people to camp on the streets is unconstitutional. Straus sued Portland on behalf of homeless people in the past. She claimed that the local government fails to recognize federal laws that protect homeless people by enforcing their own ordinances. A bill introduced by Tina Kotek, House Speaker, none of the cities in Oregon would be able to remove homeless people from the streets without following the regulations that are aligned with federal laws. According to new House Bill 3115, local governments will have to follow policies that regulate where and when homeless individuals can camp. If the local government does not follow the policies introduced with Bill 3115, they can be sued.
Oregon lawmakers noted that while this is not a ban on anti-camping laws, it is designed to make sure that local governments comply with the federal rules. Bill 3115 was introduced as a reaction to the growing housing crisis in PNW. Some of the federal rulings include limitations on criminalizing camping violations and limitations on giving people sleeping on the street a fine. Governors noted that the purpose of this bill is to clear some of the ambiguity around the laws regarding homeless people. Many cities spend time and effort to ensure that their ordinances are aligning with federal rulings. A House Bill such as 3115, will help those efforts to pay off. This bill will make sure that local governments who address homeless people sitting, lying, sleeping on a public property by acknowledging that the person is experiencing homelessness. Click below for mo re information.
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