The Safe Sleep Policy, enacted by the mayor in February without City Council approval, allows homeless people to sleep in tents in select public areas and on sidewalks. Now a coalition of business groups says the policy was an overreach of power.
"A coalition of Portland business groups, neighborhood associations, and a food cart pod are suing Mayor Charlie Hales and the city," reports Amelia Templeton.
The groups filed the lawsuit in Multnomah County circuit court, claiming "the mayor’s new policy allowing homeless camping on some public property violates state law and city code."
Brad Schmidt also provides coverage of the lawsuit, offering more details on the possible outcomes of the lawsuit and soundbites from the lawyers representing the coalition of business and neighborhood organizations that filed the laswsuit.
According to Schmidt, "The lawsuit is a remarkable event in the city's checkered history dealing with homelessness. In the past, civil-rights advocates have successfully sued Portland over unconstitutional sidewalk rules and anti-camping laws that didn't account for the belongings of homeless Portlanders."
For more information on the policy behind the lawsuit, see the city of Portland website devoted to the Safe Sleep Policy, as it's called. The policy is intended as a six-month pilot project.
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