Mayor Likely to Get Funding Boost for Encampments as He Eyes Seven Locations

The mayor is requesting $27 million for “startup costs” to build his six sanctioned camps.

ted Mayor Ted Wheeler at the opening of a pod village in North Portland. (Wesley Lapointe)

By Sophie Peel

The Portland City Council will vote Nov. 17 on Mayor Ted Wheeler’s request for $27 million in preliminary funding from the fall budget adjustment to kick-start six massive encampments he aims to build so the city can ban sidewalk camping.

His request is likely to get at least three votes on the council, sources tell WW, but how those dollars are allocated could shift between now and the vote. That’s because Commissioner Dan Ryan has requesting that $6 million of the $27 million be allocated to rent relief.

That’s subject to change because Ryan’s request comes amid Multnomah County leaders weighing whether to provide an additional $14 million in rent relief to prevent a wave of nonpayment evictions through the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the mayor’s office is speaking to seven property owners about hosting the controversial 250-capacity sanctioned camps on their land.