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In an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus from hitting and spreading among the downtown homeless population, the Salem City Council voted to ban gatherings of two or more people in the public right-of-way and to lift the ban on camping in certain city parks.

A state of emergency was declared in the city during Tuesday's last-minute emergency session.

Given the nature of the pandemic and its threat to the homeless community and others in the community, city officials prohibited public gatherings of two or more people for more than 10 minutes on sidewalks, most city parks and landscaping strips.

The motion to prohibit these public gatherings and allow camping was passed unanimously by the council.

Mayor Chuck Bennett said such a drastic move was needed to keep the coronavirus from spreading in the community.

"We are really trying over the next few weeks ... to get this under control the best way we can," he said.

Exemptions include those experiencing a medical emergency, those with a physical disability using a wheelchair walker or other mobility devices, children in strollers, people sitting on benches, those at bus stops and those performing a city-approved or permitted activity.

"To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, publicly owned sidewalks, including landscape strips, are limited to active pedestrian use," the resolution read. "Loitering on public sidewalks and landscape strips is prohibited."

Wednesday morning, people camped on sidewalks around the downtown Rite Aid and Salem Center were forced to leave. Some temporarily went to Marion Square Park.

Camping allowed in two city parks

In tandem with the gathering ban, the council voted to suspend the prohibition on maintaining a campsite in all unimproved areas in Wallace Marine and Cascade Gateway parks.

Individuals and groups of fewer than 10 people will be allowed to maintain a campsite in unimproved areas of the parks but remain subject to all other laws and city park rules.

Under the rules, campsites are required to be separated by at least 50 feet and be 50 feet away from any improved area within the park and from other abutting properties.

Several councilors urged the city to provide bathrooms, trash receptacles and hand-washing stations at the sites.

In a letter to city manager Steve Powers, Jimmy Jones, executive director of the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, called the decision to allow camping at the parks the best of the limited options available.

Jones cited the deteriorating public health conditions for those sleeping on the sidewalks downtown, with recent outbreaks of MRSA and scabies.

"In this current public health crisis, the community should avoid large concentrations of the homeless population where they cannot hope to practice good hygiene," Jones said. "Our homeless should also be able to shelter themselves in tents, so that they can self-quarantine when they are sick."

Jones said his agency would provide any homeless person needing to relocate to another part of town with a tent, sleeping bag and other camping equipment through their ARCHES Day Center at 615 Commercial St. and Church at the Park on 2410 Turner Road SE.

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On Monday, Mayor Chuck Bennett indicated the council would be setting aside its previous proposal to create a tented shelter at Marion Square Park for people removed from sidewalks using a sit-lie ordinance.

Bennett said the city will table that proposal until the coronavirus crisis has passed.

The nature of homelessness leaves many people powerless to follow key advice given to the public to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Oregon Health Authority recommends regular handwashing with soap and water to prevent spreading and catching the disease. Those with symptoms are advised to isolate themselves at home while they recover and contact their doctor.

"Practicing good hygiene in a homeless camp or in another unsheltered condition is nearly impossible," Jones said.

And people can't isolate themselves at home if they don't have one.

The average age of a homeless person in Salem is 48. Many have serious health conditions making them more likely to experience serious hospitalizations if they contract the coronavirus.

"The homeless remain in a double-bind from this virus," Jones said. "They are very likely to be impacted by it, given that their general underlying health is often poor, with present lung disease and other chronic physical health problems, which can be compounded by substance use."

Now, the cases number in the dozens and at least four people in Marion and Polk counties have tested presumed positive coronavirus.

Jones said state and local authorities were working to provide resources and funding through the crisis, specifically funds under the State Homeless Assistance Program for sheltering people in the area.

Bennett said the city's focus now is helping homeless people maintain social distancing and keeping them healthy and from spreading the virus.

Homeless uncertain were to relocate

On Monday, many camped out near Rite Aid were uncertain what the future would hold.

“I have a pack of wipes. That’s all. There is no hand sanitizer or soap around here. We don’t have it,” said Kevin Sinister, who has been sleeping outside of the Rite Aid in the past few weeks. “There’s no public restrooms to use. I walk to UGM to wash my hands there. I was asked to leave (a local business) when I tried to wash my hands in it one time.”

Others were not as concerned.

“It’s not a big deal," Anthony Stevens, who has been sleeping near Salem Center since the tents in front of ARCHES were torn down. "We’re really not worried. Most of the people out here have dealt with much worse, frostbite or blood clots.”

Previous coverage:Homeless advocates prepare for potential coronavirus outbreak in Salem

Jean Hendron, of West Linn, spent the morning passing out supplies, medicine and food, as she had since December.

“People are not taking care of the homeless during this outbreak," she said.

Church at the Park, a warming and services center near Cascades Gateway Park, has closed as a warming shelter, said ARCHES program director Ashley Hamilton. Showers and meals are still available at the location.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials are advising providers to shelter people 6 feet apart to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus.

Providers need to be socially responsible and employ measures that are going to be the safest for everyone involved, Hamilton said.

“Small environments where people are in close proximity to each other can be a breeding ground for this disease,” she added. “This decision was not made lightly.”

She and ARCHES staff spent Friday handing out sleeping bags to those experiencing homelessness at the park and updating them on the closure.

ARCHES Day Center services remain Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"But we have set a temporary max occupancy for the space of 40 to allow for the recommended social distancing," Hamilton said.

Additional hand-washing stations are also being added at the ARCHES day center.

Camping supplies are currently being purchased and should be available shortly, she said. The supplies will be available at the ARCHES day center and Church at the Park.

Up to date information regarding supply availability will be posted on the ARCHES Project Facebook page.

Emergency council rules

City council also voted to suspend the rules and adopt temporary procedures for public meetings to address public health issues related to the pandemic, including suspending oral public comment and limiting the number of people at a public meeting to 25.

Council accepted written public comment, and the meeting was aired live on CCTV's Comcast Cable Channel 21 or on the CCTVSalem YouTube channel.

The resolution passed Tuesday authorized Powers, the city manager and acting city’s emergency program manager, to issue orders and take other necessary steps to implement the declaration, including emergency procurement of goods and services, execution of agreements and other measures necessary for the protection of life, property and the economy.

City council meetings may be limited in the coming months.

"This is our new normal for a while," councilor Chris Hoy said.

But he and several councilors said the meetings and public comment are still needed.

"We still have a city to run," councilor Tom Andersen said.

This declaration will terminate, unless expressly extended by the Salem City Council, on April 28.

Officials wasted no time in enforcing the resolution.

The work to move those camped out near Rite Aid began Wednesday morning.

Salem police spokesman Lt. Treven Upkes said police are working with the Salem Housing Authority and ARCHES to educate people about social distance and "gain compliance through conversation."

"With the declaration in effect, we along with SHA and ARCHES will be contacting unsheltered groups to inform them of the risks of COVID-19 and the benefits of social distancing," Upkes said. "Additionally, we will be informing them that they can no longer loiter in 'public spaces' as defined by the declaration. We will continue to direct them to resources such as SHA and ARCHES and inform them where the camping restrictions have been temporarily lifted."

He said there are no plans for structured monitoring at Wallace Park and Cascades Gateway, but officers will, as always, periodically check camps for both compliance with the declaration and to check on the well-being of the unsheltered.

At the Tuesday emergency session, councilor Vanessa Nordyke urged people to volunteer, help their neighbors and look for the good among the bad news. She recalled volunteering at a warming shelter the night before and talking to a client overjoyed at finding a job.

"There are signs of hope in crisis," she said. "Look for those beacons of hope right now."

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth