On Monday, Sept. 30, over 30 community members attended an event in Milton-Freewater billed as “Controlling the Homeless Population Along the Walla Walla River.” The meeting was held at the Milton-Freewater Community Building and organized by Umatilla County Commissioner Cindy Timmons in collaboration with the CTUIR, City of Milton-Freewater Department of State Lands, various property owners and the Sheriff’s Office. 

Residents were energized as Timmons addressed the crowd, standing in front of a looping presentation of images of trash, tents and debris on the Walla Walla River. 

Timmons described the situation as a “homelessness population problem.” 

Officials at the event estimated that there were up to 40 unhoused people currently living by the river, which the community, officials and residents say, has grown exponentially over recent years. 

Over the course of the evening, different community members identified a number of concerns. Among them was the question of jurisdiction: Who is responsible for the maintenance of the river? What about the land on either side? The sheriff’s office proposed a solution: Trespass them all and arrest those that don’t comply. 

During the Q & A session, one resident expressed frustration at the behavior of some living by the river.

“This affects all of us… I had my propane bottle stolen out of my backyard off my barbecue,” said the resident.

It was unclear how the resident determined that the bottle had been stolen by unhoused people. Other residents shared stories of finding used needles and trash on or near their properties.

Over the course of the evening, many residents called on the police to arrest the unhoused people. Chief of Police Joe Shurtz attempted to assuage the crowd’s concerns about what they perceived to be police inaction. 

“[Trespassing is] not the biggest crime in the world, unfortunately,” Shurtz said.

Still, the police announced that they would soon be posting trespass notices to clear the encampment, with the threat of arresting any individuals who do not willingly leave. Both the police and Sheriff’s offices chose to withhold the planned date of eviction, citing security concerns. 

Evictions of homeless encampments have grown increasingly common in recent years, mirroring the rise in encampments themselves. According to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, as of 2019, homeless encampments were appearing in numbers not seen in nearly a century. 

A 2024 Supreme Court ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson determined that sanctioning people for camping outdoors does not constitute “cruel and unusual punishment.” This ruling has empowered agencies to crack down more frequently on encampments. 

In an interview with The Wire, Timmons stressed that local agencies have been proactive and respectful in dealing with the encampment.

“They’ve got a plan, they’ve got a date, that’s step one and they even said that’s step one of a whole many steps. One of the police officers said tonight that it is not a criminal problem; it’s a societal problem and that was repeated many times tonight… there’s many moving parts that have to be addressed,” Timmons said.

When asked how she might respond to allegations that the evictions only treat unhoused people as a criminal problem, Timmons declined to comment.

Resources for the unhoused individuals in Milton-Freewater include the Community Action Program of East Central Oregon (CAPECO), who provide a number of services for the community, including emergency housing, though the emergency homeless shelter is nearly 30 miles away in Pendleton. 

Other community members, like Reverend Dr. Tillie MakePeace, advocated at the meeting for a more tolerant approach to the unhoused community.

“It aches my heart to think about the fact that lots of us would be right where they are if things had been different in our lives,” said MakePeace. 

MakePeace promoted an open shower and clothes closet. The shower is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Wesley United Methodist Church. The church also offers food and a place to charge phones.

“There are resources,” MakePeace said. “There are people in this town who don’t have a house, don’t have a home, grew up homeless, and I will tell you now it’s a bigger problem than Milton-Freewater.” 

While residents wait to see the outcome of the evictions, which Timmons referred to as “step one,” future steps remain unclear.