Sponsor
Portland State University. Department of Sociology
First Advisor
Melissa Thompson
Term of Graduation
Spring 2026
Date of Publication
5-21-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.) in Sociology
Department
Sociology
Language
English
Subjects
Encampment Evictions, Homelessness, Mutual Aid, Qualitative, Sweeps, Unhoused
Physical Description
1 online resource (vii, 73 pages)
Abstract
Sweeps and land use enforcement are among the most persistent issues impacting unhoused communities. Mutual aid groups in Portland network with unhoused people regularly to mitigate the impacts of sweeps, provide direct aid, and build social capital among encampments. This study aims to understand the impact of policing and sweeps on mutual aid groups working with unhoused communities in Portland, OR. I conducted 18 interviews with mutual aid organizers and 8 months of fieldwork with mutual aid groups in Portland, OR in the years of 2025–2026. Transcripts were analyzed using a general inductive approach. This study finds that 1) Mutual aid groups combat social death through consistency of resources and solidarity efforts 2) Mutual aid groups specifically work to minimize the risk of sweeps on unhoused members 3) Sweeps physically dislocate unhoused group members, straining existing relationships with mutual aid groups 4) Sweeps re-create social and physical needs among unhoused people and mutual aid groups. All of these findings support my key finding: sweeps perpetuate the conditions of social death for unhoused people. Sweeps disrupt long-term connections between housed and unhoused mutual aid group members, leading to the loss of community and difficulty in maintaining aid for unhoused group members.
Rights
© Clover Javurek-Humig
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44919
Recommended Citation
Javurek-Humig, Clover, "A Qualitative Study Into the Impact of Sweeps on Homeless-Serving Mutual Aid Groups in Portland, OR" (2026). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 7114.