In a policy reversal on homeless camps in Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler proposed new regulations Thursday to end the city's ban on "homeless daytime camping," per local reports.
Wheeler's proposal would reduce "criminal sanctions" for camping, according to KOIN 6.
"The City Attorney’s Office believes these new proposed regulations would survive a legal challenge while providing the City the tools to change the status quo in Portland," City Attorney Robert Taylor said in a press statement.
The proposal would make it "unlawful for any person to camp knowingly in or upon any public property or public right of-way if the person has access to reasonable alternate shelter, has means to acquire reasonable alternate shelter, or has otherwise been offered and rejected reasonable alternate shelter."
"The current policy is that campers are forbidden in public parks or near schools and cannot camp on city streets or other public places during the daytime," KOIN 6 reported.
Portland is also engaged in a debate over progressive policies on the decriminalization of drugs.
LIBERAL OREGON U-TURNS, PASSES BILL TO RECRIMINALIZE HARD DRUGS AS OVERDOSE DEATHS SKYROCKET
Oregon lawmakers have voted to recriminalize certain drugs after a surge in overdose deaths resulted in the governor declaring a state of emergency for Portland’s fentanyl crisis – all but ending a flagship liberal policy.
In 2020, a measure to decriminalize small amounts of all drugs and redirect much of the state's marijuana tax revenue to fund grants for addiction services was passed into law under Ballot Measure 110 with 58% of Oregon residents approving the measure.
Since then, addiction and overdose deaths have skyrocketed in Oregon and nationwide as fentanyl swept across the country.
Mayor Wheeler's office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Fox News' Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
