Illegal campsites are fast disappearing in Medford, down to the lowest level in years after a coordinated effort by police and community organizations.

In March 2023, there were 186 encampments, and the latest count Sept. 25 found 11.

Six campsites were on city property, three on private land, and two on property managed by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Homeless camps hit a peak of 257 in 2021 after the 2020 Almeda Fire and COVID-19 pandemic.

Since that peak year, illegal campsites have declined by 96% as of September.

The downturn came following the Medford City Council’s expansion of the Livability Team to include six police officers and additional support staff.

“We’ve come a long way,” said Medford Police Lt. Rebecca Pietila, who is the Community Engagement Bureau commander. “The team has worked very hard.”

The Livability Team’s efforts have resulted in increased patrols to clean up the Bear Creek Greenway and the downtown.

Over the past year few years, the Livability Team has worked closely with organizations that provide treatment for the homeless with mental health and addiction problems.

Pietila said a variety of factors contributed to the decline in illegal campsites.

The increased staffing on the Livability Team provided more resources and time to do the outreach needed to get people into treatment programs and provide temporary housing.

“A lot of people have worked through these programs and are into the next level up from (legal) campgrounds,” Pietila said.

The re-criminalization of drugs started September 1 has helped enforcement efforts as well. In 2020, voters approved Measure 110, which decriminalized drug possession but has since been reversed after a sharp increase in public drug use. Possession of small amounts of drugs is now a misdemeanor crime.

“There is not so much open-air drug abuse,” Pietila said. “We certainly do have folks that are resistant to treatment.”

People arrested for drugs can avoid being arrested or lodged in jail if they agree to immediately participate in drug addiction program, known as “deflection.”

A number of temporary housing options have also helped get many of the homeless off the street.

Medford has spent about $30 million since 2019 to provide housing solutions for homeless individuals through local organizations such as Rogue Retreat. At the same time, the city has crafted new ordinances that make it more difficult to pitch tents or throw down bed rolls. The city added more restrictions about where and how long someone can sleep on city streets, while avoiding running afoul of a number of recent court cases regarding homelessness.

Many local organizations, the Livability Team and Medford Municipal Court work together to deal with homeless issues.

Rogue Retreat houses more than 400 a night at various shelters, such as Rogue Retreat Crossings, the Kelly Shelter at the Navigation Center, The Redwood and Hope Village.

ACCESS, Jackson County’s community action agency, manages a severe weather shelter in downtown Medford that houses up to 64 people.