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Clackamas County, OR Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Notice period
5 days before removal
Emergency notice
reducible to 24 hours
Property storage
held 30 days minimum
Notice language
posted in English and Spanish
Applies to
unincorporated county public property only

Summary

Clackamas County can remove anyone camping on public property in the unincorporated county once a written notice of unlawful camping has been posted for five days. The notice must appear in English and Spanish, list a Social Services referral number, and explain how to retrieve stored belongings. County Code Chapter 6.10 lets deputies skip the notice entirely during emergencies or active crimes at the site.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Clackamas County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

It is unlawful for any person who camps in or upon any public property to remain camped for 5 days after having been provided a notice of unlawful camping as set forth in this chapter. Any person found to be camping unlawfully on public property may be removed from the unlawful campsite as provided by this Chapter. ... A notice of unlawful camping must be posted before the County removes persons from a campsite on public property, or before the County removes personal property from a campsite on public property. ... The notice must be posted at the campsite in English and Spanish and must: 1. State that personal property will be removed five (5) days after the notice is posted. 2. State that anyone remaining at the campsite five (5) days after the notice is posted may be subject to removal. 3. Indicate the location where personal property can be retrieved if property was removed from the site for storage, and that it must be retrieved within thirty (30) days. 4. Include the telephone number for Clackamas County Social Services Information and Referral.

Full Breakdown

10 defines a campsite as any place where bedding, a sleeping bag, a stove or fire is set up, with or without a tent, vehicle or structure, for the purpose of establishing a temporary place to live. A campsite becomes an 'unlawful campsite' once a notice of unlawful camping has been posted and the camper or their property remains five days later. Before removing anyone from public property, an authorized official must post a notice at the site in both English and Spanish stating that personal property will be removed after five days, that the occupant may be removed after five days, where retrieved property can be picked up, and the phone number for Clackamas County Social Services Information and Referral.

The notice must also be handed to anyone present, giving them at least five days to leave, and the official must tell County Social Services that notice has been posted and where. 715, at a campground occupied under an agreement with the County, state or federal government, or in an area the County Administrator temporarily designates for camping during an emergency or special event. The County Administrator can also shorten the standard five-day notice to as little as 24 hours in a specific case. 060.

02's unclaimed-property rules. Items with no apparent utility or in unsanitary condition can be discarded immediately, while weapons, drug paraphernalia and suspected stolen property or evidence go straight to law enforcement.

Violations & Fines

Camping on public property in the unincorporated county without leaving after a posted five-day notice is unlawful under Section 6.10.020, and violators can be physically removed from the site. There is no fine schedule in Chapter 6.10 itself: enforcement is removal, not citation, and personal property left behind can be seized and stored for retrieval, discarded if unsanitary, or turned over to law enforcement if it appears to be evidence, contraband or a weapon.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much warning does the County give before removing a campsite?
Clackamas County must post a written notice at the campsite in English and Spanish stating that personal property will be removed and the occupant may be removed five days later, per Section 6.10.030. The notice also lists where retrieved belongings can be picked up and the phone number for County Social Services Information and Referral. The County Administrator can shorten that window to as little as 24 hours in a specific case.
What happens to my belongings if I'm removed from a campsite?
Under Section 6.10.060, personal property is turned over to law enforcement and stored for at least 30 days while you can reclaim it. Anything unclaimed after 30 days is disposed of under Chapter 2.02's unclaimed-property rules. Items with no apparent use or that are unsanitary can be thrown out immediately, and weapons, drug paraphernalia or suspected stolen goods go directly to law enforcement.
Can the County skip the five-day notice?
Yes. Section 6.10.050 waives the notice when officials believe crimes beyond camping are happening at the site, during a hazardous-materials emergency or a declared danger to life under ORS 131.715, at an agreed-upon campground, or in an area the County Administrator temporarily opens for camping during an emergency or special event.
Does this rule apply inside Oregon City, Milwaukie or other cities?
No. Chapter 6.10 only reaches public property in the unincorporated parts of Clackamas County, such as Oak Grove, Jennings Lodge, Clackamas and Damascus. Incorporated cities inside the county, including Oregon City, Milwaukie, Lake Oswego and Happy Valley, enforce their own camping ordinances on their own public property.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Clackamas County

All Clackamas County rules

Compare Clackamas County to another location·View the Oregon homelessness & encampment rules overview

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