PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland has closed one of its two safe parking sites for people living in RVs, marking a major shift in the city’s homelessness policy under Mayor Keith Wilson. The closure of the 55-spot Sunderland RV Safe Park, which operated for just over two years near Northeast Marine Drive and 33rd Drive, took effect Monday.
End of Portland’s First RV Shelter
Launched in July 2023 and run by the Salvation Army, Sunderland was Portland’s first designated shelter for unhoused residents living in their vehicles. The site offered basic amenities, case managers, and round-the-clock staffing. For many, it was a safer alternative to sleeping along busy streets or in unsafe lots.
City officials touted Sunderland as a way to clear derelict RVs from neighborhoods. But with its closure, only one safe RV shelter remains: North Portland Road, which has 70 parking spots and 90 sleeping pods. Unlike Sunderland, residents there must relinquish their RVs when they leave.
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Mayor Wilson’s long-term plan is to phase out RV sheltering altogether, instead moving people into congregate shelters and ultimately into permanent housing.
A New Direction Under Mayor Wilson
Since taking office in January, Wilson has described abandoned or inoperable vehicles scattered across Portland as a public safety hazard. His administration argues that many vehicles used as shelter expose residents to risks such as mold, carbon monoxide, sewage leaks, and fire.
“We are building more shelters and day-use centers so no one is forced into a rundown RV,” said spokesperson Cody Bowman. “Our goal is to move people into safe, supportive shelter as quickly as possible.”
To achieve this, Wilson has shifted focus away from alternative models like village-style and RV shelters, which proliferated after 2020, and toward expanding traditional overnight shelters. His administration has pledged to create 1,500 new shelter beds by Dec. 1.
Pushback From Residents
Not everyone supports the move.
Kevin Fine, 50, lived at Sunderland for over a year while applying for disability benefits. He arrived with his truck, trailer, and a three-wheeled Polaris Slingshot—together worth around $40,000. Fine said he was pressured to give up his RV and move into a pod-style shelter.
“They really coerce you to get people to go to pods,” Fine said. The city does not provide storage for vehicles or large possessions at its pod shelters, forcing residents to reduce belongings to just a couple of bags.
Fine received a flyer warning that “RV/Trailer living on street is illegal” and urging immediate relocation. Dissatisfied with the options, he began dragging his trailer from the Sunderland lot by hand before a friend helped move it with a truck. By Thursday, he was parked on a roadside near Northeast 33rd Drive with no plan beyond avoiding a tow.
“A Critical Piece of Our Shelter System”
City Council members who championed Sunderland expressed disappointment.
Dan Ryan, who helped establish the site, said closing it erases years of progress. “We can’t go back to pre-opening conditions,” he wrote, citing the shelter’s positive impact on the neighborhood.
Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney agreed, calling safe RV parking “a critical piece of our shelter system.”
Sunderland cost the city about $2.5 million annually to operate. It hosted 160 residents during its two-year run. Of those, 26 secured permanent housing, 13 moved into temporary housing, and seven transitioned into health facilities or jail. However, 45 returned to homelessness and 62 left without clear outcomes.
A Budget Tradeoff
The site was initially slated to close in March 2025 when the Portland Bureau of Transportation reclaimed the property for its maintenance operations. After public outcry, City Council funded an extension through September.
Ultimately, with the city facing a $100 million budget shortfall, leaders declined to keep Sunderland open.
City spokesperson Rob Layne said, “If they wanted to fund Sunderland, they needed to find the money for it. The City Council declined to find the money for it.”
But Councilor Sameer Kanal pushed back, calling the statement misleading. “The mayor chose to close Sunderland, and council didn’t have a majority vote to pass amendments that would have generated enough money to keep it open,” Kanal said. “I’m profoundly disappointed this is the outcome.”
Enforcement and Crackdown
Wilson’s administration is simultaneously expanding enforcement measures against derelict vehicles. The city is increasing towing capacity, allocating $1.5 million to remove and demolish RVs. Officials expect removals to nearly triple, from an average of 34 per month to 95.
Vehicles with six or more unpaid parking tickets or more than $500 in fees will be targeted for towing. Fee waivers for retrieving lived-in vehicles have already been eliminated.
The mayor argues this approach is necessary to improve livability for all Portlanders. “RVs are impacting everybody’s lives, those that are living in it and those that are living by it,” Wilson said. “Both of those have to have improved outcomes.”
The Human Toll
For residents like Tyson Jenson, 44, the closure means further instability. Jenson, who works at a bottle redemption center, has been living in a trailer since leaving his brother’s house.
“They kick you around,” he said. After his vehicle was tagged for towing, he braced himself to move again. “It’s a merry-go-round. It feels like a game to them.”
Though he acknowledged frustrations with noisy or messy RV encampments, Jenson said his trailer offered him a place to stay while he sought affordable housing and help for a gambling addiction. “It kind of sounds like [the mayor] means business,” he said, “but I need a chance to get out of this life.”
What Comes Next for Sunderland
With Sunderland’s closure, the property will return to the Portland Bureau of Transportation. Spokesperson Dylan Rivera said it will be used as an outdoor storage facility for sand, light poles, and traffic signals.
Councilors Ryan and Pirtle-Guiney have urged Wilson to repurpose the site for homeless services, but so far those appeals appear to have gone unanswered.
A City Divided
Portland and Multnomah County currently provide about 3,500 shelter beds, yet nearly 7,500 people remain unsheltered, many living in vehicles. Advocates argue safe RV parks can help bridge the gap.
For now, however, Wilson is betting on a different approach: expanding congregate shelters, towing derelict vehicles, and phasing out RV parking altogether.
Whether that strategy will reduce homelessness—or simply displace people like Kevin Fine and Tyson Jenson—remains to be seen.
