Starting at midnight on June 23rd, Medford Police led a ‘clean-up operation’ along the Bear Creek Greenway – where houseless residents had been asked to shelter-in-place during the pandemic. Despite MPD’s insistence that this operation was about offering services and not displacement or enforcement, volunteers witnessed several arrests and campgrounds were destroyed.

On Thursday, July 2nd, the Medford City Council will vote for the approval of a city-funded temporary campground for unsheltered folks. It’s important that they hear from us: this expanded option should not be used as an excuse for increased MPD enforcement, and we must ensure that houseless individuals have a voice in the policy and service changes that impact them.

TAKE ACTION! You can give testimony about these issues at the Medford City Council meeting on Thursday, July 2nd at 6pm. The meeting is held at Medford City Hall (411 W. 8th Street).

If you can’t attend the council meeting, you can email comments to council@cityofmedford.org by 12pm on July 2nd.

Southern Oregon Rising Tide: For more information, contact Elizabeth Hallett, Director of Peace House at info@peacehouse.net.