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Performance MeasureMeasure #100717972Value #106097519

MATERIALS DISPOSED

Tons of material disposed of from homeless campsites across the city

A complete source packet for this Performance Portland measure: current value, official scale, history, narrative notes, context, and links.

1

Start with value

Use the latest official value and current trend as the first read.

2

Check why it matters

The City’s Impact Reduction Program contracted crews remove trash and materials from campsites and surrounding areas during campsite assessments and removals, and through tent-side waste collection and micro-trash removal services provided by a nonprofit contractor.

3

Use the source packet

Continue to the chart, official notes, topic links, source URLs, and full history table.

History

Official values

This chart uses the official actual values cached from ClearImpact. The latest point is highlighted; the table below preserves every raw row.

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Latest

4,217

FY 2025 - 26

First shown

1,301

FY 2017 - 18

Change shown

2,916

Within visible history

01,5453,0904,6356,180FY 181,301FY 19FY 20FY 21FY 22FY 23FY 24FY 25FY 264,217X-axis: reporting period. Y-axis: official actual value on the ClearImpact scale.

Full source history

Every cached ClearImpact row for this measure.

PeriodActualTargetTrend
FY 2025 - 264,217—-1
FY 2024 - 256,180—1
FY 2023 - 245,731—-1
FY 2022 - 236,127—1
FY 2021 - 225,318—1
FY 2020 - 213,965—1
FY 2019 - 203,275—1
FY 2018 - 191,954—1
FY 2017 - 181,301—0

Narrative Tabs

Official Performance Portland notes

Why Is This Important?

The City’s Impact Reduction Program contracted crews remove trash and materials from campsites and surrounding areas during campsite assessments and removals, and through tent-side waste collection and micro-trash removal services provided by a nonprofit contractor. Cleanup is important for keeping our streets, sidewalks, and parks safe and open for everyone to use. Removed garbage sometimes includes dangerous items like human waste and drug-related items, such as needles. Removing this trash also helps prevent it from ending up in rivers or the sewer system, where it could cause environmental damage and pose more health risks. The City keeps track of how much material is collected and delivered to the waste transfer station. This helps the City better understand and address the impacts of unsheltered homelessness on the community.

What Do The Numbers Show?

The data shows a general increase in the amount of materials collected over the last several years. The City’s Impact Reduction Program has grown in size and efficiency, with more frequent assessments and cleanups leading to more waste material disposed of. In FY23-24, there was a slight decrease in the tonnage of material collected. This decrease was due, in part, to more frequent cleanups happening in previous years, which resulted in smaller camp sizes and less waste and property accumulation. During the Covid-19 pandemic, fewer camps were cleared due to concerns about virus transmission. As a result, campsites grew larger as more campers gathered in the same locations, causing an increase in the amount of trash at these sites once camp removals began again.

How Did We Arrive at These Numbers?

The tonnage data is gathered from invoices provided by city waste transfer stations, which record the weight of the material disposed of. This material comes from four main sources: 1. Trash collected during assessment teams' evaluations of health and safety risks at campsites. 2. Campsite removals identified as health and safety risks. 3. Personal items stored after a campsite removal but never claimed. 4. Trash collected by the City’s partner organization, G.L.I.T.T.E.R .

G.L.I.T.T.E.R

Where Can I Find More Information?

Here is a more comprehensive overview of the City’s Impact Reduction Program , which includes trash removal. For more information about number of homeless campsites that are assessed by the City for potential removal: HOMELESS CAMPSITE ASSESSMENTS: Number of homeless campsites that are assessed by the City for potential removal For more information about the number of campsites that are removed by the City: CAMPSITE REMOVALS: Number of campsites removed by the Impact Reduction Program To report unsanctioned camping and or campsite-related trash here is more information from the City’s Impact Reduction Program .

City’s Impact Reduction ProgramHOMELESS CAMPSITE ASSESSMENTS: Number of homeless campsites that are assessed by the City for potential removalCAMPSITE REMOVALS: Number of campsites removed by the Impact Reduction ProgramCity’s Impact Reduction Program