Last week, an unhoused man died in Medford after being exposed to the elements during a cold night. In response, housing advocates are asking the city to halt its controversial “prohibited camping, lying and sleeping” ordinance.

Manuel Barboza-Valerio died under the 10th Street Bridge after sleeping outside without a tent or sleeping bag. Initial reports stated his cause of death was exposure and hypothermia. According to Medford police, Barboza-Valerio was 29 years old.

His death has spurred debate about a Medford city ordinance that passed in April. The “prohibited camping, lying and sleeping” ordinance does not allow camping within city limits, with a punishment of up to a $500 fine or 30 days in jail.

The evening before Barboza-Valerio died, the emergency weather shelter in the city was full.

Maig Tinnin, a volunteer with the Housing Justice Alliance, says the threat of arrest has put homeless people in danger.

“It definitely increased criminalization for people that are unhoused and frankly has effectively deterred people from using equipment like tents to be able to stay alive during extreme weather,” she said.

The Housing Justice Alliance is asking for a complete moratorium on the ordinance for the duration of winter. They are also asking for a refocus on prioritizing housing, instead of focusing on enforcement of anti-camping laws.

The Medford City Council convened on Thursday to review the ordinance and ultimately decided to uphold it.

The deaths were all investigated by a medical examiner, as they were either deemed suspicious or happened outside a hospital or other health care setting. Perhaps most surprisingly for 2020: None of the reported deaths were caused by COVID-19.

Eugene Weekly is attempting to write obituaries for every homeless person the paper learns of who died in Eugene in 2021.

Authorities from Portland and Multnomah County open a new homeless shelter with a pledge not to turn anyone away on the coldest nights.

Tags: Homeless, Homelessness, Medford, Weather, Housing