Peninsula Crossing Trail Cleanup
An update from the City of Portland (text is a rough copy of the information included in a mailer to residents living close to the trail, please note it may not be a perfect replication)
June 3, 2022
Unsanctioned campsites along the Peninsula Crossing trail have been an issue for several years. The City Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact/education Program had posted and removed campsites along the trail on regular basis since 2015. They had planned a large-scale campsite removal for mid-March 2020 in partnership with multiple property owners and outreach providers who have been offering services to those living along the trail.
However, the City stopped all campsite removals for the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic and then only removed a small fraction of campsites for the next 1.5 years under guidance from the CDC and Multnomah County Public Health. The number of unsanctioned campsites throughout the city drastically increased during this time, and several sites grew exponentially in size, as is the case with the Peninsula Crossing Trail.
Timeline
The City was prepared to begin trail cleanup in April 2022. However, program staff strongly advised restricting vehicular access prior to any removals to prevent camps from reverting back to high-risk conditions. Staff were concerned about wasting limited resources for temporary remediation To restrict vehicle access. Portland Parks and Recreation will install steel gates at trailhead intersections at North Columbia Fessenden Lombard and Princeton. Boulders will be placed at other unauthorized access points. Unfortunately, COVID 19 has caused severe supply chain issues and project materials won't be available until July. Our contractor is currently waiting for tor boulders to be extracted from quarries and gate materials have been held up in the shipping process. Construction is scheduled to begin mid to late July and last approximately 3 weeks. Once the City can ensure vehicle restrictions, staff can begin posting campsites for removal.
We have heard from many of you and are very aware of how impactful this site has been to the neighborhood. Please know that we are working as quickly as possible to get the trail clean and safe and available for all community members to use.
Belmont Goats
Goats on the trail will move late this summer to make way for the Safe Rest Village. The Portland Housing Bureau has offered other temporary sites to the Belmont Goats team. Rest assured. the Belmont Goats Team is looking into many options to find a new home for Portland's beloved goats.
Contact
City of Portland
1120 SW 5th Ave, Suite 901
Portland, OR 97203
For general inquiries please call 311
https://www.portland.gov/homelessness-impactreduction
How to report a campsite
To report concerns about a campsite, please visit www.pdxreporter.org or call the City's Information and Referral team at 311. Every report is reviewed by City staff. Please note these are the only two ways to submit a report.
Street Services Coordination Center
The Street Services Coordination Center was created under Mayor Wheeler's emergency declaration on March 2, 2022, for the purpose of providing expedited and streamlined services to those living outside. The SSCC is working in partnership with the Impact Reduction Program to provide shelter referrals, transportation, and other services to people experiencing homelessness. To date, the SSCC has made 305 shelter referrals and over 110 people have accepted a referral and used a shelter bed.
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