The community deserves to know the truth about how, why, and when the current homeless lawsuit began. This lawsuit originated under the previous administration, and regardless of what anyone claims, it would have happened no matter who was elected.
There are documented records dating back to that administration, including correspondence from Disability Rights Oregon (DRO), as well as news coverage detailing the issue. When the prior administration established these camps, they were warned about potential violations of ADA compliance and the implications of House Bill 3115—specifically the legal requirement for any removal of homeless individuals to be considered objectively reasonable. This was clearly documented at the time.
Now, if someone wants to argue that the new administration should have known better because of the warnings issued by Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) in the previous administration, that is a valid and worthy discussion to have. However, it’s also important to remember that the camp that was shut down had become such a disaster that, at any moment, lives could have been lost due to the dangerous conditions present there.
A timeline of events will reveal who bears the most responsibility for the lawsuit currently facing the City of Grants Pass. As you read through the sequence of events, one conclusion becomes clear: MINT and Dr. Bruce Murray of MINT are central to the issue and the previous administration was well aware of the warnings.
Factual evidence showing the previous administration knew of the ADA compliance issues and the Objectively reasonable issues. You can download the Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) letter dated Oct 3, 2024 that is meant as a warning for a lawsuit:
Follow the Time Line:
April 3, 2024: A Grants Pass case before the Supreme Court will decide if punishing homeless residents is cruel and unusual
https://www.streetroots.org/news/2024/04/03/homelessness-grants-pass-will-go-supreme-court
- Dr. Murray from MINT said the medical situation is dire in Grants Pass parks due to a lack of access to basic hygiene services.”
- Long before the newly elected administration.
Sept. 13, 2024: ‘Unconscionably bad circumstances’ at Grants Pass homeless sites per medical staff
https://www.streetroots.org/news/2024/09/13/unconscionably-bad-circumstances-grants-pass-homeless-sites-medical-staff
Cities blame state law for crippling efforts on homelessness, but as conditions deteriorate, even Gov. Kotek is staying quiet about homeless Oregonians’ rights
“Dr. Bruce Murray was livid. He sat inside a van at a new city-designated site for homeless Grants Pass residents, holding draft copies of a letter he planned to give medically fragile people with complex health problems.
The letter said they should not move to a different site as instructed by a new city ordinance requiring people move from one sanctioned site to another every week. The temperature reached 103 degrees later that day Sept. 5.“
→> Oct 2, 2024: Letter, ODOJ outline legal vulnerabilities at Grants Pass homeless sites
https://www.streetroots.org/news/2024/10/02/letter-odoj-outline-legal-vulnerabilities-grants-pass-homeless-sites
“Disability Rights Oregon letter could be the first step toward legal action if the city does not honor reasonable accommodations requests. The Oregon Department of Justice could ultimately intervene.”
“The letter outlined how the city’s plan for sanctioned homeless encampments may violate multiple tenets of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, if it forces homeless residents — including those with disabilities — to move every week as required by city ordinances.”
“Tom Stenson, DRO deputy legal director, said the Grants Pass city attorney declined his request to be involved in discussions with the city about what reasonable accommodations it could make for disabled residents. DRO sent a follow-up letter on Oct. 3, reiterating its concerns and outlining other potential legal violations, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Fair Housing Act.”
“Dr. Bruce Murray, a medical doctor and founder of the local volunteer-run service provider, Mobile Integrative Navigation Team, or MINT, worked with homeless Grants Pass residents in parks since the organization started in 2021. Murray gave signed letters to disabled residents living at the sites as many anticipated police forcing them to move from one site to another the week of Sept. 8, certifying each person was unhoused and medically fragile with complex health problems.”
- The letter can be downloaded from this article.
- This warning came long before the newly elected administration.
January 30, 2025: Grants Pass sued again over ‘objectively unreasonable’ homeless ordinances
https://www.streetroots.org/news/2025/01/30/grants-pass-sued-again-over-objectively-unreasonable-homeless-ordinances
Local doctor Bruce Murray, a volunteer doctor with the volunteer-run organization Mobile Integrative Navigation Team, or MINT, described “unconscionably bad circumstances” at the sites in September 2024. Multiple residents living at the sites were hospitalized due to medical emergencies during a week when temperatures reached over 103 degrees. Temperatures fell to 22 degrees on Jan. 29.”
- What this time line shows us is – A lawsuit was in the making long before the newly elected city council and mayor took office.
June 12, 2025: Grants Pass working toward settlement in preliminary injunction
https://kobi5.com/news/local-news/grants-pass-working-toward-settlement-in-preliminary-injunction-277011/
GRANTS PASS, Ore.- The City of Grants Pass and Disability Rights Oregon are working toward a settlement in the preliminary injunction against the city over its treatment of the unhoused.
Grants Pass, having already made moves to comply with the suit’s conditions, can either seek to have it resolved in court or reach its own settlement with DRO to remove the injunction.”
