‘No Excuse’: Southeast Portland Residents Voice Concerns Over Drug Use, Illegal Camping

Tyler Francke

Canby News

‘No Excuse’: Southeast Portland Residents Voice Concerns Over Drug Use, Illegal Camping

Frustration Near Menlo Park Safe Rest Village

Portland’s city code prohibits camping within 150 feet of Safe Rest Villages (SRVs). But neighbors living near the Menlo Park site in Southeast Portland say those rules have gone unenforced. Instead, they describe daily scenes of open drug use, trash accumulation, and illegal camping just steps away from the sanctioned shelter — and now they’re demanding stronger action from the city.

Early Optimism Fades

When the Menlo Park Safe Rest Village opened in 2022, some neighbors cautiously welcomed the project. Landlord Karen Alvarez told KOIN 6 News at the time that she was hopeful the city’s rules would prevent disruption.

“I noticed that it did clear out for a little while,” Alvarez said. “So, I almost feel like if the streets and sidewalks were kept clear, the village might be okay.”

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But three years later, Alvarez says her optimism has faded. She claims her new tenants are left to contend with constant disturbances: screaming in the streets, vandalism, and sidewalks littered with used needles.

Residents Share Alarming Experiences

Other neighbors, who asked not to be identified, say conditions have worsened since the site opened. One recalled a frightening experience involving a trailer fire.

“When we first came here, there was a trailer that came and parked right when we moved in, and it set on fire,” the resident said. “There’s no excuse. They’re doing drugs out there in front of kids who don’t get a choice.”

Another neighbor recounted a life-or-death encounter while walking near the shelter.

“I brought a lady back to life the other day,” the neighbor said. “I watched her flail herself onto 122nd Avenue. A guy pulled her body to the corner. By the time I got home and grabbed Narcan, he had her laid out on a trash can with her feet in a shopping cart. What is that saying about our city?”

For many, the frustration is not with the SRV itself but with what they describe as a persistent cycle of illegal activity just beyond its gates.

City Response and Cleanup Efforts

The City of Portland’s Impact Reduction Program (IRP), which is tasked with responding to unauthorized camps near shelters, says crews have been active in the Menlo Park area.

“In the past two months, IRP has posted notices and sent cleanup crews 15 times,” said Communications Coordinator Laura Rude. “The high frequency presence of our IRP work crews in the area has kept tent camping to a very low level.”

Still, vehicle encampments remain a challenge. Rude noted that while IRP can fully remove tents, the removal of lived-in vehicles requires coordination with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT).

“PBOT has a significant backlog of tow projects on their schedule, and it does take longer for the City to resolve vehicle camps,” Rude said.

City officials said the multi-vehicle camp near Menlo Park SRV is scheduled to be tagged by the end of September, with a full trash removal by October 6.

Neighborhood Pushback

Community leaders argue the city’s measures don’t go far enough. In a statement, Hazelwood Neighborhood Association Chair Ann McMullen criticized conditions outside the SRV, especially in light of recent changes.

“This should not be happening right outside the SRV — especially since [the city] just expanded the occupancy of that village to 75 people and so far, have refused to expand the so-called buffer/engagement zone to accommodate for adding more people,” McMullen wrote.

Looking Ahead

As Portland expands its network of Safe Rest Villages, the Menlo Park site highlights the challenges of balancing shelter access with neighborhood safety. Residents say they are not opposed to the shelter itself but are demanding stricter enforcement of the city’s own rules.

For now, neighbors say they’ll continue to document what they see — from fires and drug use to unsafe camping — hoping city leaders will prioritize solutions before a tragedy occurs.

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