What are the City of Lake Oswego's policies about abandoned vehicles and vehicles people are living out of?
- Derrith Schmidt
- Jun 22
- 11 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
This blue truck in the photos above with a makeshift camper and trailer was parked for 72 hours on two streets within Old Town near George Rogers Park. It was then parked overnight on another street in Old Town and given a citation because of the trailer. The vehicle owner moved in the morning and several days later was seen parked on Old River Road in Lake Oswego. This is not the first time this has happened in our neighborhood. People have parked and slept in their cars and vans. The LOPD have patrolled and issued citations when allowed under the LO ordinances.
Post Updated July 16, 2026
What are Lake Oswego's rules regarding people sleeping overnight in vehicles?
Several Old Town neighbors have asked what Lake Oswego's ordinances allow when someone is sleeping overnight in a vehicle parked on a public street. No overnight camping is allowed in any vehicle in our City Parks. But this is allowed on City Streets, including streets near playgrounds and schools.
Sleeping in a car on a neighborhood street
Under current City ordinances, a person may legally park a passenger vehicle on a public neighborhood street overnight, including while sleeping in the vehicle, provided the vehicle is legally parked and is not violating another law.
Vehicles parked on a public street may remain in the same location for up to 72 hours. After that time, they may be cited for violating the City's 72-hour parking ordinance.
Sleeping overnight in a vehicle is not permitted in City parks.
Sleeping in a pickup truck
The rules depend on the type of truck.
Commercial vehicles are generally subject to additional parking restrictions. Commercial vehicles may not be parked on City streets between 12:01 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. for more than 30 minutes, except where otherwise allowed.
Standard passenger pickup trucks are treated like other passenger vehicles. They may be parked overnight on neighborhood streets, subject to the City's parking regulations and the 72-hour limit.
Sleeping overnight in a pickup truck is not permitted in City parks.
Campers, RVs, and vehicles with trailers
Lake Oswego has additional rules for campers, RVs, and trailers.
If a camper or RV is owned by a resident and parked near that resident's home, it may generally remain on the street for up to 72 hours for loading, unloading, or similar purposes.
Campers, RVs, and vehicles with attached trailers are not permitted to stay overnight in City parks.
If these vehicles remain on a public street beyond the City's allowable time limits, they may be subject to enforcement under City parking ordinances.
How do other cities address overnight vehicle camping?
Many communities have adopted more specific regulations related to overnight vehicle habitation. For example:
Some Oregon cities have adopted seasonal or location-based restrictions that prohibit overnight parking near parks, schools, or playgrounds.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California prohibits sleeping in a vehicle parked on a public street, public parking area, or customer parking lot between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
San Diego, California prohibits overnight vehicle habitation on city streets between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and also prohibits sleeping in a vehicle within 500 feet of a residence or school, except in designated safe-parking locations or where another legal exception applies.
Community discussion
Some Old Town neighbors have expressed interest in discussing whether Lake Oswego should consider additional ordinances addressing overnight vehicle habitation.
“I can’t believe the cops will just let people park around our neighborhood for three days at a time, over and over again. As long as they do not sleep there it is ok?”
"People can park and sleep in a vehicle 50 feet from your house? For 72 hours? How is this safe? Why is this allowed? This needs to change!"
"People can't park or camp in George Rogers Park but they can do this on our neighborhood streets?"
"He may wish to call Clackamas County supportive housing services at 503-655-8575."
"It is so sad that these people have more rights than those of us who live here and pay property taxes."
"With people with special needs and elderly people, we don't need someone living on our street."
"If the City wants somewhere for people to sleep in their vehicles overnight it would be a whole lot safer if people did that in the parking lots of our public parks or in the parking lot of the public works building which can be monitored by the police vs. people parking and sleeping in any vehicle on our neighborhood streets."
”We need him to move on. We don’t want GRP and our neighborhood to become a homeless encampment."
"Portland has plenty of open unused places for people to sleep and get services if they need it. We pay plenty of taxes to help those who need help. Send the people there."
Our neighbors would like to start a conversation about changing these ordinances. We'd like to hear from the Lake Oswego Police Department and the City Attorney regarding what approaches are legally permissible, how existing ordinances are enforced, and what options have been effective in other communities. On July 16, LOPD asked us to work with the City Managers Office about this.
What's your perspective and suggestions about this? Contact Us Here
We noticed this sign in downtown LO at B Avenue and First Street in the "abandoned" parking lot where the new hotel is to be built across from CVS. So, LO does seem to have some other no parking ordinance from 2am to 6am. And the ability to limit parking for 2 hours.
Note: I've been updating this blog post with more information as it comes in and will continue to do so that we have one central information source about this issue to refer to.
Background About This for our Old Town Neighborhood
Over the years neighbors have been concerned about cars, vans, buses, and campers parked near George Rogers Park that appear to be abandoned or with people living out of them and using the park bathroom and picnic area. This past week a truck with a trailer was parked on Ladd Street for several days and then moved to Furnace Street across from the new Picnic shelter. Several neighbors talked to the truck owner. Several neighbors asked me what the City's policies are about this so I wrote to the LO Police and here are the answers to my questions:
Isn't GRP cleared at night so people can’t park overnight? Or maybe where he’s parked isn’t part of the park? But he’s across from a home and near the playground.
George Rogers Park closes at 10:00 PM. Officers conduct extra patrols frequently and will usually contact anyone found in the park after hours. If by "cleared" you are asking if someone goes through the park at closing time to move people out of the park, this is seldom done as staffing does not allow this type of activity and it is seldom necessary.
It's difficult to determine from the photos if the vehicle is parked in within the park or on the public street. An officer would need to be physically present to determine this.
How long can someone park? Does it matter if it’s a car, truck, camper?
Generally, a person can lawfully park a vehicle on a public street up to 72 hours before the vehicle must be moved. Park rules prohibit overnight parking of any vehicle in parks, unless permission is given by the City.
Trucks and campers cannot lawfully be parked on a public street for more than 30 minutes between 12:01 AM and 6:00 AM, with a few exceptions (parked in front of owner's residence, with City manager's permission, etc.)
An officer would need to determine if this vehicle is a camper as it does not immediately announce itself as one in the photos.
When are we to report this? Through online system or call?
You are welcome to report this via the non-emergency line (503-635-0238) or online. Please note there is usually a delay in response if reported online as the report is not immediately sent to an officer.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Thank you.
Mike Scott
Lieutenant | Police Department"
Regarding this specific blue truck, Lieutenant Scott wrote to me that "One of our community service officers already handled the online complaint yesterday. She did determine the vehicle was within the park and is handling it as an abandoned vehicle. Additionally, if the vehicle is still there today, she will likely cite the vehicle for parking within the park overnight, as she determined it was on the park property."
UPDATE: The truck was not parked on Furnace nor on Ladd Street on Monday June 22. But it did reappear on Wilbur Street at Durham Street on Wednesday, June 25.
Lieutenant Mike Scott just called me on his day off today. He said:
In the ordinance when it says truck, it’s not a pickup truck but a commercial vehicle. Those cannot be parked more than 30 minutes between 12:01 and 6am. A pickup truck is a like a car. Those can be parked on the street.
Campers are not allowed to be parked overnight on the streets. But it's up to each officer to determine if it’s intended for someone to live in. Just having bedding doesn’t mean it’s a camper.
The trailer is also part of the ordinance - those aren't allowed to be parked overnight.
There is a separate process for abandoned vehicles. This is not an abandoned vehicle because the police and neighbors have seen the person in the truck.
It’s up to each officer to determine what the vehicle is and whether it can be cited.
The Officers can’t ask anyone parked or sleeping or camping on a public street to move. A court case in Idaho went up to the Supreme Court on that. They need to have shelter bed for persons which LO doesn’t have.
After 72 hours they can give an additional citation for parking. And if the truck is not moved, they will put a sticker on it saying it will be moved and that generally gets the vehicle moved.
If a person doesn’t pay citations, they can address that too but it takes awhile.
He understands we’re uncomfortable with him here and he said he wouldn’t want someone parked and sleeping in front of his house.
He and the officers can only issue tickets for violations. If neighbors see people they believe are living out of their vehicles going into the park after 10pm, they should call to report that along with other incidents like noise, trespassing, and other parking violations.
He advised neighbors to keep calling non-emergency and to be vigilant to lock doors and garages. We should be relying on the police officers to interact with this individual.
If we want to try to change the ordinance he had some good perspective about that.
I did some online research to better understand what the ordinances are and learned
Lake Oswego’s municipal code is actually pretty specific about this.
Under Lake Oswego Code § 32.06.076 (Parking Regulations):
Trucks, campers, trailers, RVs, boats on public streets overnight
Lake Oswego prohibits parking these vehicles on public streets for more than 30 minutes between 12:01 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. unless you have permission from the City Manager or designee. This applies to:
house trailers
motor homes
recreational vehicles
vehicles with campers
boats and boat trailers
motor trucks
truck tractors
trailers
Important exceptions:
1. One-night-in-seven rule
A motor home, camper, boat/trailer, or travel trailer can be parked overnight one day in any consecutive 7-day period if:
it is parked within 100 feet of the owner’s residence.
This is basically meant for loading/unloading.
2. Up to 10 days per year
A recreational vehicle, trailer, or motor home can be parked longer if:
it belongs to the resident or their guest,
it is parked directly adjacent to that resident’s property,
and it does not exceed 10 days total in a calendar year.
Large truck trailers
Lake Oswego is stricter here:
Tractor trailers and truck trailers cannot be left unattended on city streets at all.
Regular cars (different rule)
Separate from RV/trailer rules:
Any regular vehicle can’t be “stored” on a public street for more than 72 hours without being moved. Moving it a short distance may not count; the code defines “move” as at least one block or 200 feet.
Practical reality
Enforcement is often complaint-driven. If a neighbor reports:
repeated overnight RV parking
a trailer blocking visibility
reduced emergency access
obstruction of traffic
Public Works or Police may ticket or tow.
Thanks for being such caring and watchful neighbors here in Old Town. This has sparked important conversations in Old Town about neighborhood livability, public safety, vulnerable residents, and how the City balances enforcement with broader housing and homelessness challenges.
Another update: the man in the blue truck with the trailer just drove off!
And walking on Old River Road this morning with a friend who lives there, she said the truck/camper with the trailer was parked alongside the road last night at 8am. It was there when we walked this morning June 26. Photos below of the vehicle and a tarp looking makeshift tent on the other side of the road down by the river on a small beach area.
LO Neighbors Let Me Know the Law About Homeless Camping Was Overturned by the Supreme Court in 2024
And one of our neighbors on our board wrote to me just now, "The Supreme Court decision referenced by the officer was overturned. I checked, and here is what AI wrote: Yes, the landmark Idaho case, Martin v. City of Boise, which originally protected people experiencing homelessness by ruling that cities cannot cite or move them if no alternative shelter is available, was effectively overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 28, 2024.
The Supreme Court’s decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson effectively abolished the legal precedent established in the Idaho case. The Court ruled 6-3 that local governments can enforce public camping and sleeping regulations with civil and criminal penalties, even if there is an insufficient number of available shelter beds in the community. I believe Tigard has laws that deal with this situation."
Another LO friend let me know more:
Boise court decision regarding homeless camping
"The landmark court decision impacting homeless camping in Boise, Idaho, is Martin v. City of Boise.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment prevents local governments from criminalizing indigent, homeless individuals for sleeping or camping outdoors on public property if they have no alternative shelter.
Key Details of the Martin v. Boise Legacy
The Origin: In 2009, homeless individuals sued Boise after being cited under city ordinances that made it a misdemeanor to sleep or camp on public property. [1, 2, 3]
The Ninth Circuit Ruling (2018): The court decided that a government cannot punish someone for sleeping outside when there is a lack of available, alternative indoor shelter beds. [1, 2]
Impact of the Decision: For years, this precedent made it difficult for many Western U.S. cities to enforce anti-camping ordinances without first ensuring there was enough shelter capacity for their homeless populations. [1, 2]
Supreme Court Overturn (Grants Pass v. Johnson): In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively overruled the Martin v. Boise precedent. The Supreme Court determined that enforcing general public camping laws does not violate the Eighth Amendment, even for homeless individuals with no access to shelter. [1, 2]"
More online research showed
"In Oregon, updating homeless camping ordinances has been shaped by a unique combination of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Grants Pass v. Johnson decision and existing Oregon state laws.
While the 2024 Supreme Court decision allows cities nationwide to enforce strict public camping bans, Oregon House Bill 3115 remains on the books. This state law dictates that any local rules regulating sitting, lying, or sleeping on public property must be "objectively reasonable" regarding time, place, and manner. Because of this statutory safety net, Oregon cities cannot implement outright, blanket bans across all municipal borders without providing structured "time, place, and manner" guidelines. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Multiple cities across the state have updated their ordinances to navigate these dual legal boundaries."
Seems this is worthwhile to learn from Lake Oswego's Attorney what the status is here in Lake Oswego and to involve our LOPD/CSO team so we understand their perspective, challenges and recommendations. Perhaps this is something the Neighborhood Chairs in LO will want to address together?
Update: July 9, 2026
We've researched what ordinances other cities have and have asked for a meeting with LOPD leaders to get their recommendations on changing this ordinance in LO.
We’ve learned some cities in Oregon have ordinances for no overnight parking near parks, schools, playgrounds.
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