1) Take a survey about wood burning for the county
2) City will resume homeless camp sweeps
1) Take a survey about wood burning for the county
Multnomah County’s Office of Sustainability has received a Department of Environmental Quality grant to implement a community campaign about health and wood smoke. The goal of the campaign is to promote clean air and reduce wood smoke in the county.
The county is in the early stages of brainstorming and would appreciate feedback about wood burning practices of residents. If you burn wood, this 10-minute survey will help inform the 2020-21 Wood Smoke Campaign.
Complete the survey by Monday, July 13 for a chance to win one of four $25 Fred Meyer gift cards.
Email sustainability@multco.us with any questions or concerns.
2) City will resume homeless camp sweeps
During the past few months of social distancing, the city suspended most sweeps of homeless camps. As circumstances have changed, so has the policy. The city now will sweep large camps of eight tents or more. Mayor Ted Wheeler told KATU news that this is the right time to begin cleanups again in order to create more physical distancing between homeless individuals.
Residents can report homeless camps using the city’s campsite reporting form. Be sure to indicate if it is a large camp eligible for cleanup under the new policy or otherwise has created a problematic or dangerous situation. File reports weekly until the city addresses the situation. Multiple people may report the same camps.
The city produces a weekly campsite report that includes maps of where camps have been reported.
Since the pandemic began, large homeless camps have become widespread in the city, including in the Overlook Neighborhood.
“Since March 12, the number of large-congregate campsites—defined as campsites with more than 10 structures present—has grown from three to 40,” says a June 26 memo from Lucas Hillier, manager of the city’s Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program, as reported by Willamette Week. “These areas have created significant public health and public safety challenges, including an inability for the unsheltered individuals and other people using these public spaces to comply with public health physical distancing guidelines.”