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The Central Eastside Industrial Council opposes the possibility of moving a homeless camp from a Northwest Portland property to one across the Willamette River.

The council recently sent to Mayor Charlie Hales a 10-page letter claiming that the city’s efforts to negotiate for the Right 2 Dream Too camp at Northwest Fourth Avenue and Burnside Street are not proper. The city has been negotiating to have the tent city moved to property owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation at the intersection of Southeast Third Avenue and Harrison Street in the Central Eastside Industrial District.

鈥淭he city’s current path contains none of these safeguards because the city skipped the required process,鈥� the letter states. 鈥淯ntil the city follows the right process, the city is jeopardizing legitimate enforcement and degrading the trust of the rest of the community.鈥� The letter is signed by council president Debbie Kitchin and president-elect Brad Malsin.

Most of the letter is devoted to citing various city codes regarding campsites and short-term housing. In conclusion, the letter states, 鈥渢he council should direct BDS (Bureau of Development Services) to respond to this request in the same way it would respond to any other request of a previously prohibited use: amend the code to regulate homeless camps within the city.鈥�

Commissioner Amanda Fritz said that the city wouldn’t be looking at the property if it wasn’t compliant with the city’s zoning code.

鈥淲e haven’t decided if we are going to move forward with the purchase,鈥� she said.

Fritz said that if the city decides to buy the property, there will be an ordinance on the council’s agenda to do so 鈥� along with a zoning confirmation.

鈥淓verything we’ve done is according to code,鈥� she said.

City Council is waiting for an environmental review of the property before deciding its next step. Fritz said no timeline has been set for putting the issue on the City Council meeting agenda.