Oregon Public Broadcasting

Homeless advocates have challenged a Portland ordinance that stops people from sleeping on city sidewalks or in parks. Rob Manning reports.

For years, Portland homeless advocates and city leaders have battled over issues like sitting on sidewalks, and sleeping outdoors, especially in downtown business areas.

The latest step is a federal lawsuit, filed by Monica Goracke with the Oregon Law Center.  It challenges the ordinance against sleeping outdoors, within Portland.

Monica Goracke: “We’re arguing that people who are homeless, and have no place else to go, have a basic human right and need to sleep, and it’s not lawful to criminalize them for sleeping.”

The city attorney’s office didn’t have immediate comment because they hadn’t been officially served with the lawsuit yet.

The city has opened up a number of “warming centers” to shelter people with no place else to go this winter. But Goracke says there isn’t nearly enough room for all the people with no place to sleep.