Leafy west coast neighborhood descends into chaos as residents clash with sprawling homeless camp: 'Like a war zone'

A neighborhood in Portland has spiraled into chaos as the locals clash with those living in a homeless encampment. 

Residents in the city's southeast say the area has become like a 'war zone' as tensions continue to rise between locals and the homeless who have lined the streets with tarps and tents.

Lacey, a woman living in the encampment, told KGW8 that someone hit her dog with a car, leaving him with a broken leg and an open gash.

'It's terrible... cars come by super fast, they try to hit us … I don’t want to be out here. No one really wants to be out here,' Lacey told the outlet.

The area has had a long row of RVs and tents for years, but tensions have reached new heights in recent months with locals and the homeless engaging in confrontations daily.

A neighborhood in Southeast Portland has spiraled into chaos as the locals clash with those living in a homeless encampment

The area has had a long row of RVs and tents for years, but tensions have reached new heights in recent months

'This is really bad right now. I mean this is like a war zone. It could be a war zone,' said Nancy Shannon, who lives nearby and often drives past the camp.

Shannon added that she has contacted city officials about the camp many times but has yet to receive a response. 

However, Portland mayor Ted Wheeler has claimed the site has been flagged for removal. 

But Shannon claimed; 'They tag them, which they just did, and then they come and clean them up. Well, two hours later, they’re back.'

Earlier this year, Portland's City Council unanimously approved new rules that say the homeless who camp on public property and reject offers of shelter could be fined up to $100 or jailed for seven days.

Lacey, a woman living in the southeast Portland encampment, said that someone hit her dog with a car, leaving him with a broken leg and open gash

A woman was seen yelling at the homeless people in the encampment as she drove by

When shelter is not available, the same penalties apply for blocking sidewalks, using gas heaters or starting fires, or having belongings more than 2 feet outside of tents.

'Addressing the issue of unsheltered homelessness in our city is a complex and urgent matter, and I believe this ordinance represents a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to manage public spaces effectively,' mayor Wheeler said in a statement.

Those who accept offers of shelter won’t be cited, according to Wheeler’s office. 

For those who are cited, the courts will determine whether to waive fines. 

The ordinance says it encourages diverting people to assessment, emergency shelter or housing instead of jail.

The mayor’s office said the new rules seek to comply with a state law that requires cities to have 'objectively reasonable' restrictions on when, where and how people camp in public. 

A previous, stricter version of the ordinance that banned camping during daylight hours - at risk of fines or jail time - has been put on hold by a judge as a lawsuit challenging the measure filed by advocates on behalf of homeless people makes its way through the courts.

Portland mayor Ted Wheeler has claimed the site is posted for removal

The measure comes as Portland and other cities across the U.S. West struggle to address a growing number of homeless encampments. 

Many officials say they need to be able to manage encampments to keep streets safe and sanitary, while advocacy groups say people shouldn’t be criminally punished for lacking housing.

The U.S. Supreme Court, after hearing a case brought by the small Oregon town of Grants Pass, is weighing whether cities can punish people for sleeping outside when shelter space is lacking. It’s the most significant case before the high court in decades on the issue and comes amid record homelessness nationwide.