Portland officials are reinstalling three park benches in their original locations in Monument Square after homeless advocates called out the city for moving them.
Homeless Voices for Justice questioned the removal of the benches in an email to the city manager and City Council on Friday. The advocacy group, which is composed of people who have struggled with homelessness and is overseen by the social service nonprofit Preble Street, said it noticed the benches were removed last week and called it “a violation of Portlanders rights to use our city’s parks” and “discriminates against people with disabilities and people experiencing homelessness.”
“The removal of these benches falls into a long legacy of city of Portland decisions that communicate that homeless people are not welcome here,” the group said. “We request that you take immediate action to restore the benches. If not, we will take greater action to bring attention to their removal.”
City Hall Communications Director Jessica Grondin said in an email that the benches were moved to create more space for outdoor dining. She said the benches were never removed from the park – they were moved 300 feet away but remained in the square.
Grondin said two of the benches were reinstalled at their original locations on Friday and the third will be reinstalled next week.
“They were moved to create some space between the benches and the outdoor dining areas,” she said. “However, one of the benches was recently hit by a car, which is why it’s being repaired. And so given this, two have been reinstalled back to where they were today, and the third will go back once it’s fixed.”
Grondin did not respond to questions about who ordered the benches to be moved or when they were moved. She said only that they’re being moved back to their original location because one of the benches got hit by a vehicle in its new location.
“If there are future issues with how close they are to outdoor dining, then we can address it later,” Grondin said.
The homeless person (not shown) whose belongings were on one bench Friday evening said the trees give some shade, and he’s glad the benches are back. Michele McDonald/Staff Photographer
Like other urban areas across the United States, Portland is facing increased challenges with providing services and emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
The city’s only day shelter, operated by Preble Street, closed at the onset of the pandemic, increasing the number of people spending their time in public spaces like Deering Oaks Park and Monument Square. The agency is planning to convert the day space to a 24-hour overnight shelter with 40 beds.
The city recently offered nearly $260,000 to any nonprofit agency willing to open up a new day shelter, so people experiencing homelessness could rest during the day, be connected to services and have access to showers, laundry, mail and basic personal supplies. No agencies responded to the city’s offer.
Meanwhile, the city’s plans for a 200-bed homeless shelter in the Riverton neighborhood, far removed from the peninsula, are progressing even amid efforts by some to stop that project from proceeding.
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