Portland Police Sweeping Homeless Camps From Springwater Corridor

Mayor's office says there were 300 people as of last month in the stretch being cleared Tuesday and Wednesday

By Rachel Monahan

Portland police on Tuesday began clearing homeless camps from a stretch of the Springwater Corridor—from Southeast 82nd Avenue and Lambert Street, to Southeast Harney Street and Southeast Springwater Drive.

A month ago there were 300 people camping along the roughly half-mile stretch, said Mayor Hales' spokeswoman Sara Hottman. But outreach workers have convinced all but three dozen to leave, she added.

Campers were alerted Friday, April 19 that the area would be cleared, Hottman said.

The trail was cleared, she said, after ongoing problems along the trail including "victimization of homeless women; harassment of people using the trail; and environmental harm, i.e. garbage and human waste."

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