The city of Portland could have as little as $31,813 left to find a new home for the Right 2 Dream Too homeless camp.

That's the worst-case scenario outlined in a new report tracking a nearly $1.1 million budget for the camp's planned - but now scuttled - move to the Central Eastside.

Portland has already spent about $610,000 in anticipation of moving campers from their current home on private property at Northwest Fourth Avenue and Burnside Street. The city is also under contract for about $436,000 more because they expected to open the new campsite, at Southeast Third Avenue and Harrison Street, by October.

But that plan appears impossible because a state land-use board ruled Tuesday the move violates local zoning regulations. A homeless camp can't be established on industrial property.

Two days after the ruling, Mayor Charlie Hales has yet to articulate a Plan B - although the most likely scenario has Right 2 Dream Too staying put.

Officials are now trying to find out if they can shut down work or cancel orders for the Central Eastside project - and how much they could potentially recoup. Will officials have any luck?

"They're just beginning to talk to contractors," Jen Clodius, a city spokeswoman, said Thursday. "So ask me again in a week."

Portland could find itself with more money if a few things go officials' way.

Right now, the city has about $468,000 in reserve - but nearly all of that money has been promised to a construction company performing work at the Central Eastside site and separately to a company for a trailer featuring bathrooms and showers.

If Portland does end up paying for the bathroom-and-shower trailer, it could be used elsewhere or sold off.

"Obviously if they can't get out of it, they're going to try to find a way to use it," Clodius said.

Officials also spent $254,044 buying the Central Eastside property for the campsite. The land holds some resale value.

"Long term they're confident they can sell it, and get some of the cost of the improvements back, too," Clodius said.

Officials also have more money at stake through the Portland Development Commission, the city's urban renewal agency.

The development commission agreed to buy the existing campsite in Northwest Portland for $1.2 million, plus $300,000 made in 30 monthly payments of $10,000.

The commission has already paid $240,000, and officials are supposed to close on the property by April 7.

The commission is supposed to get the property free of campers, and could potentially recoup its monthly payments if that condition isn't met.

But it would be politically impractical to force that issue, because city officials are directly responsible for failing to find a new site for the campers.

As it stands, the agency has no plans to relinquish its purchase rights, spokesman Shawn Uhlman said.

Asked whether the development commission plans to go forward with the sale on schedule, Uhlman said only: "It is perhaps too early to say."

-- Brad Schmidt

503-294-7628

@cityhallwatch