MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. (KPTV) – Multnomah County commissioners are once again talking about handing out tents and tarps to the homeless after suspending the program earlier this year.

Advocates for the homeless say tents and tarps are vital supplies when there aren’t enough beds in shelters and especially when extreme weather conditions occur.

In June, Multnomah County commissioners decided to stop purchasing and distributing tents and tarpaulins as a step to clean up the city and as they pushed to increase the number of shelter beds.

SEE ALSO:

A new proposal would resume distributions during cold and severe weather, but discourage use on sidewalks and limit one tent per person.

The discussion among commissioners became heated, with some saying handing out tents and tarps is the least the county could do, while others said it was a burden on taxpayers and the environment.

“Policy is a bunch of words that say nothing and give no guidance on what to do,” said Commissioner Sharon Meieran. “As a county, we must be accountable for everything that happens to our residents, our taxpayers and the environment.”

“I think if we stop handing out tents and tarps, there will be serious, unintended consequences,” Commissioner Lori Stegmann said. “In all conscience, I do not believe that we should tell people, as winter approaches, that we will not provide them with basic necessities.”

SEE ALSO:

Commissioners also suggested that a threshold for getting people housed be created and met before stopping distribution.

Last year, the Joint Office of Homeless Services distributed more than 6,000 tents and 24,000 tarps to nonprofits who then gave them to homeless people. Then, when it cleaned up homeless camps this summer, the city got rid of them.

Copyright 2024 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.