Federal Eviction Displaces Over 100 Homeless Residents in Oregon Forest
Federal officials have begun clearing thousands of acres in Deschutes National Forest near Bend, Oregon, displacing over 100 people living in cars and R.V.s. This decision marks one of the first major homeless encampment clearances under the Trump administration.
At about 3:30 a.m. on Thursday, U.S. Forest Service vehicles, marked by golden insignias, formed a barrier at the entry of a logging road guarded by law enforcement officers. Residents were permitted to leave but could not return without an escort.
Leading up to the midnight eviction deadline, residents scrambled to repair their vehicles to move them from federal land. Authorities had posted warnings on cars and R.V.s for weeks, stating that anyone caught trespassing after May 1 would face fines up to $5,000, misdemeanor charges, and potential jail time.
The closure affects a section of the forest that federal authorities intend to use for extensive wildfire mitigation and ecological restoration projects.
According to Jesse Rabinowitz, a spokesperson for the National Homelessness Law Center, the population taking refuge in this forested area surged significantly due to economic pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic, including rising housing costs and widespread job losses.
Notably, the planned eviction fell on May Day, which is historically recognized for its celebration of labor rights and working-class advocacy worldwide.
Richard Owens, 40, told The New York Times he desperately attempted repairs on his aging Subaru Outback using a YouTube tutorial. “It’s everything I own,” he explained, pointing to his belongings spilling out from an old R.V.
“They’ve told us that if we are not out, we will all go to jail. When I said, ‘Where are we supposed to go?’ They said, ‘It’s not our problem.’”
A volunteer mechanic was sent in overnight by an assistance organization working to help people without housing. According to Chuck Hemingway, a retired lawyer and one of the volunteers, the organization had raised thousands of dollars to replace damaged tires, purchase new batteries, and dispatch tow trucks in an attempt to aid the people trapped inside. Despite their efforts, Owens’ Subaru remained stuck behind police lines by morning.
Chris Daggett, another resident of the encampment, emphasized the difficulty he and others face in finding stable housing. Speaking to KTVZ-TV, Daggett, whose family has longstanding ties to Bend, stressed that being unhoused does not equate to criminality or moral failing.
“It’s incredibly difficult to get back on your feet once you’ve been knocked down. 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.”
Earlier this month, four residents of the encampment, supported by two advocates for people experiencing homelessness, filed for a restraining order, seeking an injunction to prevent the eviction. The plaintiffs argued that enforcing the closure would inflict substantial harm on more than 100 people residing there, particularly impacting those with disabilities.
However, a recent update on the federal court’s docket indicated that U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane denied their request for a restraining order, though a detailed opinion has not yet been published.
Homelessness has surged nationwide amid an ongoing housing affordability crisis. Bend, once a struggling logging community, has now transformed into a thriving destination with outdoor recreation and boutique businesses, epitomizing the issue. Housing costs in Bend have soared, with the average home now listed above $800,000, starkly contrasting with a local minimum wage below $15 per hour.
Although Bend has expanded its shelter capacity significantly, from 240 beds in 2021 to 517 today, and established parking lots specifically for people living in vehicles, the measures have not fully addressed the housing need. Bend’s Mayor Pro-Tem Megan Perkins noted homelessness dropped 5 percent last year due to these efforts, a significant achievement given previous annual increases of up to 20 percent. Yet, she acknowledged these actions were insufficient given the scale of displacement from the forest eviction.
“What I don’t understand, and what is keeping me up at night right now, is where everybody is going to go? I know that our service providers are doing absolutely everything that they can to find places for people, but it would be ridiculous to assume that out of 200 people living there, that all of them are going to find a place. It’s a societal failure—and I think to call it anything else but that, would be a mistake.”
The eviction is part of a broader forest management plan by the U.S. Forest Service aimed at reducing wildfire risks through tree thinning and controlled burns across 35,000 acres adjacent to Bend. “The closure does not target any specific user group and will restrict all access,” explained U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Kaitlyn Webb.
“It’s not safe for the public to be in the area while heavy machinery is operating, trees are being felled, mowing operations are active, and prescribed burning is occurring.”
Residents facing eviction shared diverse stories of hardship. Mandy Bryant, 38, who lives in a camper shell with her boyfriend, described to The NYTimes the emotional and physical toll of living outdoors after fleeing an abusive relationship. Andrew Tomlinson, 41, recovering from a heart attack, struggled with severe leg pain and feared losing his home and belongings. Patrick Walston, 50, an arborist who suffered a debilitating stroke during the pandemic, fell behind financially and was uncertain how to relocate his R.V.
Chris Dake, 29, has lived in various federal land locations since sustaining a debilitating knee injury five years ago. Standing beside his broken-down Chevy Winnebago with visible injuries, Dake voiced the shared frustration and despair among those evicted. “There’s nowhere for us to go,” he said. “They’re pushing us out.”
Local advocate Eric Garrity, who unsuccessfully attempted a legal intervention to stop the eviction, warned that displacements were creating a cycle of homelessness. Many of the evicted planned to move to another nearby encampment, Dirt World, which is already slated for closure later this month. Garrity said its clearing would leave people without housing in a state of “perpetual displacement.”
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
