on Wednesday. When shelter is not available, the same penalties apply for blocking sidewalks, using gas heaters or starting fires, or having belongings more than 2 feet outside of tents. The ordinance takes effect immediately, and enforcement is set to begin in the coming weeks, Mayor Ted Wheeler's office said.
The mayor's office said the new rules seek to comply with a state law that requires cities to have “objectively reasonable” restrictions on when, where and how people camp in public. A previous, stricter version of the ordinance that banned camping during daylight hours, at risk of fines or jail time, has been put on hold by a judge as a lawsuit challenging the measure filed by advocates on behalf of homeless people makes its way through the courts.