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The City of Portland, Oregon

Homelessness Toolkit

City of Portland

Impact Reduction Program Performance Measures

Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program Performance Measures

The following figures help to measure and track the Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program's performance. Prior to the Impact Reduction Program, the Citywide Coordinated Campsite Cleanup Program was developed in FY 2014-15 as a need was identified by property-owning bureaus and City Council to centralize a coordinating entity to carry out campsite cleanup and removal in compliance with the Anderson et. al. v. City of Portland settlement agreement.[1] The Impact Reduction Program replaced the Coordinated Campsite Cleanup Program as the group responsible for reducing the impact of unsheltered homelessness, associated trash, and bio-waste within the City of Portland while also integrating operations with the Joint Office of Homeless Services/A Home for Everyone. In FY 2017-18, the Impact Reduction Program increased its total staff from one full-time employee (FTE) to three FTEs, and the program’s budget substantially increased. At the same time, these metrics were developed as data points to help measure program success.

Last update: 08/27/2021

Action

FY 14-15

FY 15-16

FY 16-17

FY 17-18

FY 18-19

FY 19-20

FY 20-21

Reports Received/Processed 139 3,643 17,293 25,460  35,005 41,717 60,320
Campsite Removals Performed 139 139 571 3,122  2,828 2,169*** 248
Total Campsite Removal Cost $171,113 $171,082 $578,992 $1,576,575  $2,155,030* $3,424,524* $4,173,582*
Total Campsite Assessment Cost n/a n/a n/a n/a $390,495 $517,853* $666,154*
Avg. Direct Cost Per Removal $1,231 $1,231 $1,014 $505  $762* $1713*** $2505***
Risk Assessments Performed n/a n/a n/a 2,971  4,640 11,440 13,374
Garbage Collected (tons) n/a n/a n/a 1,301  1,954 3,275 3,965
Needles Removed n/a n/a 8,215 346,793  457,461 91,915** 97,516**
Shopping Carts Removed n/a n/a 908 5,192  2,997 2,483 1,134**
Drug Paraphernalia Items Removed n/a n/a 1,110 5,742  16,212 60,692 37,409**
Bio-hazards Cleaned/Removed n/a n/a 241 2,099  4,538 9,614 5,519**
*Includes costs paid by ODOT.
**Indicates data that is missing or incomplete.
***These numbers are incomplete as methodologies for data collection shifted in response to COVID-19.

The following graphs show the number of campsite removals performed for each fiscal year and the average total direct cost per removal. The Impact Reduction Program's budget to conduct cleanups has more than quadrupled since FY 2014-15 as the need to more holistically address unsanctioned urban camping has grown.

The following graph indicates the average cost of removal per site. Note: FY 18-19, FY 19-20, and FY 20-21 reflect costs paid by ODOT to conduct cleanups/removals on ODOT property.


[1] Anderson v. City of Portland, Civ. No. 08-1447-AA. (D. Or. Jul. 30, 2009)