BEND, Ore. (AP) – The U.S. Forest Service is preparing to evict numerous homeless individuals residing in an encampment within the Deschutes National Forest near Bend, central Oregon. This action is part of an ongoing effort to close certain areas of the forest for essential restoration and wildfire mitigation activities, a plan that has been in the works for several years. The encampment's population has surged, largely due to encounters with homelessness that many faced during the coronavirus pandemic, driven by job losses and soaring housing costs, according to Jesse Rabinowitz, a spokesperson for the National Homelessness Law Center.
The impending eviction, scheduled for May 1, carries serious consequences for those who choose to resist; offenders may face up to one year in jail, fines of up to $5,000, or both. Rabinowitz highlighted that this eviction represents the Trump administration's first major mobilization against a homeless encampment. Coincidentally, this event also aligns with May Day, a day that symbolizes the struggle of the working class for fair wages and improved working conditions worldwide.
Earlier this month, four individuals from the encampment, along with two advocates for the homeless, applied for a restraining order seeking to halt the closure. They contend that such action would result in irreparable harm to over 100 occupants of the area, many of whom have disabilities. Despite their efforts, U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane has not yet released a written opinion, although the court's docket indicated earlier this week that the restraining order was denied.
At its peak, up to 200 people were living in the forest before being informed of the closure taking effect on May 1. Rabinowitz noted that by last Friday, local homeless advocate and retired attorney Chuck Hemingway estimated that approximately 80 individuals remained, with at least 40 likely to still be present on the deadline.
Chris Daggett, one of the individuals living in the encampment, expressed his family’s longstanding ties to Bend, asserting that their circumstances do not define their character. “It’s incredibly difficult to get back on your feet once you’ve been knocked down,” Daggett stated. “If they force us out on May 1, we still won’t have anywhere else to go. It’ll just make it even tougher for us to rebuild our lives.”
The Cabin Butte Vegetation Management Project is the specific wildfire mitigation initiative responsible for the closure, aiming to enhance wildfire safety and restore damaged habitats across about 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) of the forest. The U.S. Forest Service representatives explained that the purpose of this project aligns with minimizing wildfire risk and preserving natural areas against encroaching development near Bend. Consequently, recreational sites and trails in this particular region will remain closed until April of the following year.
Kaitlyn Webb, a spokesperson for the Deschutes National Forest, communicated that while the government seeks voluntary compliance, Forest Service officers will actively patrol the area to enforce the closure and ensure public safety.
