It appears former Mayor Sara Bristol disregarded an October 3, 2024, memo from Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) warning of potential legal action due to ADA noncompliance in homeless campsites established in August 2024. Despite the warning, no corrective action was taken during her tenure to address these issues.
Now, on February 6, 2025, it has come to light that Sara Bristol actively contributed to the lawsuit filed against Grants Pass—a lawsuit stemming from policies enacted under her own administration. In doing so, she has taken legal action against the city, its new mayor, and the newly elected city council.
From Oct 3 email sent to Mayor Bristol and City Council warning of ADA compliant issues:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6387d767fc8a755e41aa5844/t/66fdb0e5a03fad0ef858cc6d/1727901925507/DRO+Letter+re+Grants+Pass+Notice_10.3.24.pdf
“In the most recent resolution, the city council designated two otherwise unused lots as appropriate for camping and authorized people to live there for up to seven days. After seven days, the campers are required to move. Since the two designated campsites are the only ones a person could legally occupy, the only place for a person to go, as long as they have not found permanent housing after seven days, is to the other campsite. In other words, current Grants Pass policy contemplates homeless campers being forced to move from one camp to another, every week, indefinitely, until someone finds permanent housing or leaves the city.
→ In my September 13 letter, I noted that numerous campers have disabilities that make these routine moves effectively impossible and asked the city to grant reasonable accommodations to them. I also asked to discuss these issues with you, contacting both of you by phone an email numerous times without response. I appeared at a City Council meeting on September 18 and shared my letter with the City Council.”