Sheltering in Riparian Areas

Marys River Watershed Council is frequently contacted with concerns about people sheltering in the riparian areas within our watershed. MRWC is not a government entity, and we do not have legal authority to resolve these concerns. We cannot legally relocate individuals living in riparian areas. The grant funding we receive is restricted to be used for specific types of restoration based on statewide priorities set by granting agencies, and many of the granting agencies we work with do not allow for their funds to be used for creek cleanups, housing projects, or camp relocation.

We have developed the following statement to let you know our concerns and values about this important and complicated issue. At the bottom of the page you will find contact information where you can report your concerns. The choice of who to call will depend on the location you’re concerned about.

MRWC’s Statement on sheltering in riparian areas of the Marys River watershed

1. Housing is a human right. We recognize that many people living in our watershed do not have secure housing and as a result, live in tents, many in parks, natural areas, and other places zoned as Open Space. These housing insecure neighbors deserve basic sanitation and disposal services, such as access to clean water, trash services, showers, and toilets in addition to safe housing.
2. The Benton County area, as well as many areas throughout Oregon and the United States lack adequate affordable housing and social services. Because of this, sheltering in parks, natural areas, and other areas zoned as open space provide some needed respite, security, and water for neighbors of our watershed experiencing houselessness. 
3. Greenspace provides benefits to everyone, and both long-term sheltering, as well as high density recreation can impact these natural areas, thereby harming native vegetation, wildlife, and water quality. 
4. Many open spaces used for sheltering are in natural floodplains that experience annual inundation. This is unsafe and very dangerous for our unhoused neighbors, causing risk and displacement for those sheltering in riparian areas, as well as unintentionally causing campsite materials to wash into local streams and rivers. As such, floodplain areas should be protected from use as campsites for our unsheltered population.
5. We believe that some natural areas are too sensitive for continuous sheltering and we encourage municipalities to consider establishing areas zoned as Open Space for continuous sheltering. We call upon governmental agencies and municipalities responsible for managing these areas to set aside resources and dedicated space to provide a secure area with safe housing and access to resources. 
6. We also ask individuals of the housed community to treat those experiencing houselessness with kindness and empathy. We ask our housed community to do what they can to reduce their impact and to give back to those less fortunate than them. 
7. As a science-based organization, Marys River Watershed Council finds it important to look at the varied impacts on a stream’s water quality and wildlife habitat from different types of human activities. We all impact the creek in different ways, regardless of our intent. Some impacts are highly visible, and some are not as apparent. For example, the common act of driving a vehicle or applying fertilizer to your lawn causes significant harm to the water quality of streams through chemicals that are subsequently washed into streams through storm drains when it rains. Some impacts are relatively short-term and/or minor, and some are chronic/long-term and/or severe. We encourage all residents of our watersheds to understand how they can reduce their impact on our watershed. 
8. As a place-based nonprofit with a mission of science-based restoration and community engagement, we welcome opportunities to bring the people of our watershed together to discuss important issues. We plan to deepen our participation with community-based organizations that support people currently sheltering outdoors in the watershed.

Resources and Agency Contacts 

Safety concerns: If you are experiencing an emergency, please dial 911.

Here are some agencies that may be able to help: 

• Contact  The Benton County Coordinated Homeless Response Office (541-766-6835) and the Community Services Consortium (541-928-6335) for help with housing and other resources to assist if you or someone you know is struggling with finding housing. These groups may be able to further direct you to resources and other groups throughout our community, too. Here is a list of additional groups that may be able to assist with housing (this list is compiled and hosted on the City of Corvallis website).
•  Report a spill or pollution to Benton County Public Works (541-766-6821) and the City of Corvallis Public Works (541-766‑6900) 
• Report major spills into Oregon waterways to Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Emergency Response System (1-800-452-0311)

If you need to report non-emergency safety concerns, please call the local non-emergency lines:

• Corvallis Police Department non-emergency phone number: 541-766-6911
• Philomath Police Department non-emergency phone number: 541-929-6911
• Benton County Sheriff non-emergency phone number: 541-766-6858