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By Sara Cline

The Associated Press

PORTLAND 鈥� Makeshift shelters abut busy roadways, tent cities line sidewalks, tarps cover broken-down cars, and sleeping bags are tucked in storefront doorways. The reality of the homelessness crisis in Oregon’s largest city can’t be denied.

鈥淚 would be an idiot to sit here and tell you that things are better today than they were five years ago with regard to homelessness,鈥� Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said recently. 鈥淧eople in this city aren’t stupid. They can open their eyes.鈥�

As COVID-19 took root in the U.S., people on the street were largely left on their own 鈥� with many cities halting sweeps of homeless camps following guidance from federal health officials. The lack of remediation led to a situation that has spiraled out of control in many places, with frustrated residents calling for action as extreme forms of poverty play out on city streets.

Wheeler has used emergency powers to聽ban camping聽along certain roadways and said homelessness is the 鈥渕ost important issue facing our community, bar none.鈥�

Increasingly in liberal cities across the country 鈥� where people living in tents in public spaces have long been tolerated 鈥� leaders are addressing homelessness by removing encampments and pushing other strict measures that would have been unheard of a few years ago.

In Seattle, new Mayor Bruce Harrell ran on a聽platform聽that called for action on encampments, focusing on highly visible tent cities in his first few months in office. Across from City Hall, two blocks worth of tents and belongings were removed last week. The clearance marked the end of a two-and-a-half-weeks standoff between the mayor and activists who occupied the camp and worked in shifts to keep homeless people from being moved.

In Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser launched a聽pilot program聽in summer 2021 to permanently clear several homeless camps. In December, the initiative faced a critical test as lawmakers voted on a bill that would ban clearances until April. It failed 5-7.

In California, home to more than 160,000 homeless people, cities are reshaping how they address the crisis. The Los Angeles City Council used new laws to ban camping in聽54 locations. LA mayoral candidate Joe Buscaino has introduced plans for a ballot measure that would prohibit people from sleeping outdoors in public spaces if they have turned down offers of shelter.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a聽state of emergency聽in December in the crime-heavy Tenderloin neighborhood, which has been ground zero for drug dealing, overdose deaths and homelessness. She said it’s time to get aggressive and聽鈥渓ess tolerant of all the bull—- that has destroyed our city.鈥�

In Sacramento, voters may decide in November on multiple proposed homelessness-related ballot measures 鈥� including prohibition of people storing聽鈥渉azardous waste,鈥澛爏uch as needles and feces, on public and private property, and requiring the city to create thousands of shelter beds. City officials are feeling increasing pressure to break liberal conventions. A conservation group, for example, is demanding that 750 people camping along a 23-mile natural corridor of the American River Parkway be removed from the area.

Advocates for the homeless have denounced aggressive measures, saying the problem is being treated as a blight or a chance for cheap political gains, instead of a humanitarian crisis.

At least 65 U.S. cities are criminalizing or sweeping encampments, said Donald H. Whitehead Jr., executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless.

鈥淓verywhere that there is a high population of homeless people,鈥� he said, 鈥渨e started to see this as their response.鈥�

Portland’s homelessness crisis has grown increasingly visible in recent years. During the area’s 2019聽point-in-time count聽鈥� a yearly census of sorts 鈥� an estimated 4,015 people were experiencing homelessness, with half of them 鈥渦nsheltered鈥� or sleeping outside. Advocates say the numbers have likely increased significantly.

Last month to ban camping alongside 鈥渉igh-crash鈥� roadways 鈥� about 8 percent of the total area of the city. The decision followed a report showing 19 of 27 pedestrians killed by cars in Portland last year were homeless. People in at least 10 encampments were given 72 hours to leave.

鈥淚t’s been made very clear people are dying,鈥� Wheeler said, 鈥渟o I approach this from a sense of urgency.鈥�

Wheeler’s top adviser 鈥� Sam Adams, a former Portland mayor 鈥� has also outlined a聽聽that would force up to 3,000 homeless people into massive temporary shelters staffed by Oregon National Guard members. Advocates say the move, which marks a major shift in tone and policy, would ultimately criminalize homelessness.

鈥淚 understand my suggestions are big ideas,鈥� Adams wrote. 鈥淥ur work so far, mine included, has 鈥� failed to produce the sought-after results.鈥�

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown rejected the idea. But聽if liberal cities don’t take drastic action, , ballot measures that crack down on homelessness may emerge instead.

That’s what happened in left-leaning Austin, Texas. Voters there last year reinstated a ban that penalizes those who camp downtown and near the University of Texas, in addition to making it a crime to ask for money in certain areas and at certain times.

People who work with the homeless urge mayors to find long-term solutions 鈥� such as permanent housing and efforts to address root causes like addiction and affordability 鈥� instead of temporary ones they say will further traumatize and villainize a vulnerable population.

The pandemic has added complications, with homeless-related complaints skyrocketing in places like Portland, where the number of campsites removed each week plummeted from聽聽after COVID-19 hit.

The situation has affected businesses and events, with employers routinely asking officials to do more. Some are looking to move, while others already have 鈥� notably, Oregon’s largest annual golf tournament, the LPGA Tour’s Portland Classic, relocated from Portland last year due to safety concerns related to a homeless encampment nearby.

James Darwin 鈥淒ar鈥� Crammond, director of the Oregon Water Science Center in downtown,聽told the City Council聽about his experience working in an area populated with encampments. Four years ago, he said, the biggest security concerns were vandalism and occasional car break-ins. Now employees often are confronted by 鈥渦nhinged鈥� people and forced to sidestep discarded needles, he said.

Despite spending $300,000 on security and implementing a buddy system for workers to safely be outdoors, the division of the U.S. Geological Survey is looking to move.

鈥淚 don’t blame the campers,鈥� Crammond said. 鈥淭here are a few other options for housing. There’s a plague of meth and opiates and a world that offers them no hope and little assistance. In my view, where the blame squarely lies is with the city of Portland.鈥�

In New York City, where a homeless man is accused of聽pushing a woman to her death聽in front of a subway in January, Mayor Eric Adams聽announced聽a plan to start barring people from sleeping on trains or riding the same lines all night. He has likened homelessness to a 鈥渃ancerous sore,鈥� lending to what advocates describe as a negative and inaccurate narrative that villainizes the population.

鈥淭alk to someone on the street and literally just hear a little bit about their stories 鈥� I mean, honestly, homelessness can happen to any one of us,鈥� said Laura Recko, associate director of external communications for Central City Concern in Portland.

And some people question whether the tougher approach is legal 鈥� citing the 2018 federal court decision in Martin v. City of Boise, Idaho that said cities cannot make it illegal for people to sleep or rest outside without providing sufficient indoor alternatives.

Whitehead thought the landmark ruling would force elected officials to start developing long-term fixes and creating enough shelter beds for emergency needs. Instead, some areas are ignoring the decision or circumventing it, he said.

鈥淚f cities become as creative about solutions as they are about criminalization, then we could end homelessness tomorrow,鈥� he said.