Multnomah Safe Rest Village
The Multnomah Neighborhood Association is providing this web page to share timely, accurate information about the Safe Rest Village for houseless residents that is in our neighborhood. New information is added on a regular basis.
Courtesy of Friends of Multnomah SRV
Contents
- CURRENT STATUS
- BACKGROUND: Basic Info from City and County
- About the Specific Multnomah SRV site
- MULTNOMAH NA ACTIONS
- NEWS COVERAGE
- FURTHER DETAIL From The City
CURRENT STATUS as of March 28, 2023
Map of Homeless Camps – Interactive
This map is updated weekly as camps are found and removed.
Recent Activities
“All Good Northwest is happy to announce that MSRV is under the skilled leadership of a new Program Manager and many volunteers have already had the pleasure of getting to know our new PM. The Multnomah Safe Rest Village provided 2224 safe bed nights of shelter to its participants over the past quarter which is a tremendous marker given the cold weather the village has endured.
We deeply appreciate Friends of MSRV’s new Sandwich Wednesdays Campaign. Participants have already enjoyed delicious and healthy sandwiches delivered by members of the community! We would also like to invite everyone to attend our upcoming Resilience & Hope Benefit on June 23rd, 2023. Proceeds from the event will support our shelter programs and participants. Visit allgoodnw.org for details.”
from Devon Hoyt, Asst. Director of Communications & Development for All Good Northwest
Activity in areas away from the SRV continues, but the number of homeless camps right around the SRV — within 1,000 feet and along transit routes — are still very few. See the Impact Reduction section of Latest Developments below for more on how to deal most effectively with those using Impact Reduction.
The SRV staff reports that neighbor complaints are still almost nonexistent, which echoes our impression.We will be doing a more systematic collection of reliable information when the Good Neighbor Agreement starts.
See also Latest Developments below for update re Good Neighbor Agreement andSears Armory deed issues.
Latest Developments as of 5/3/2023
SRV Dashboard Now Live
From Laudie Porter, Community Engagement Coordinator | Streets to Stability: Safe Rest Villages
Exciting news! The Safe Rest Village Data Dashboard is now live. This is part of our ARPA reporting guidelines.
The dashboard will be updated quarterly. Currently, the timeline stems from July 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023. This covers the entire timeline of the ARPA funding.
Currently, the shelters that have tracked data are Queer Affinity Village, BIPOC Village, Multnomah Safe Rest Village, and Menlo Park Safe Rest Village. As data continues to come in and shelters continue to open, they will be added to the dashboard.
Sears Armory deed restrictions
Latest: Abrogation process is underway, but a bit behind schedule. GSA just sent the scope of work that was due February 25 per GSA’s Jan. 25 letter. For background on the deed restrictions, click here or come to our May meeting.
MNA Good Neighbor Agreement MAY be almost ready to release
Still waiting for final other parties to sign off on the GNA. More at our May general meeting. If status changes, we will notify the neighborhood ASAP. Meanwhile, the Citizen Advisory Committee for the GNA has been formed and is meeting regularly to discuss progress in operation of the SRV.
Concerned about homeless camps or issues in the neighborhood?
The city’s Impact Reduction Program is STILL the most effective resource.
Impact Reduction handles camps or other issues outside the SRV site. They respond to reports sent to pdxreporter.org or called into 311. NOTE: at PDX Reporter, use the map to drop a pin on the camp’s exact spot. This greatly helps the response teams to zero in on the site.
The City of Portland’s Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program (HUCIRP) provides garbage removal, hygiene access, resource referral and job opportunities – and removes campsites that pose the highest risk to health and safety.
Not every campsite is classified “high priority” even when it’s close to a sidewalk. For example, the homeless campsite on grass along the side road from Barbur to Multnomah by Safeway is not “within a walking route” to transit, which would make it a high priority camp for the city’s campsite removal policy. “Within a walking route” means actually on the path or sidewalk, not on grass across the street from the route. Nonetheless, the camp is emptied usually within a week of being reported. Camp removal and replacement has been a chronic issue along Barbur even before the SRV.
For more info on Impact Reduction, click here.
Sears Armory Deed Restrictions
Background:
When the US Army deeded the Sears site to the City of Portland in 2012, the site’s use was restricted to “providing emergency management services.” While planning the SRV, the city became aware of this restriction and asked the Federal government (see acronyms below***) whether a SRV could be put there. Hearing no response, the city proceeded to develop the SRV, which opened on June 14, 2022. On June 17, the GSA wrote that the SRV was “inconsistent with” the emergency management response purpose in the deed and listed some ways the inconsistency could be cured. After discussion with the GSA, the city sent a formal application to HHS on Oct. 13, which was amended and re-sent in early November, claiming a “public benefit” basis for a cure. On Dec. 1, HHS denied the application. On Dec 7, GSA confirmed the denial and offered 3 options:
- Cease the operation of the Safe Rest Village Site on the Property and adhere to the
emergency management use purposes restriction as described in the 2012 Quitclaim Deed. - Pursue an abrogation for any portion of the Property that is not being used for emergency management purposes. An abrogation (release of Public Benefit Conveyance deed restrictions) will require payment of full appraised fair market value to GSA. An abrogation can be requested for a portion of the Property or the entire Property. However, if the City intends to abrogate only a portion of the Property, a survey will be required.
- Voluntarily revert either a portion of the Property or the entire Property to the U.S.
Government.
At the moment, the city and GSA are going through the abrogation process, which should be resolved in late summer or early fall. We are checking the timeline with the city.
Click here to see all the documents we have to date
File names begin with the date of the document, so a sort by name will put them in chronological order.
***Federal acronyms:
FEMA – Federal Emergency Management Administration – Initially oversaw deed.
HHS – Health & Human Services – Took over deed versight from FEMA.
GSA – General Services Administration – Oversees HHS, is current agency dealing with City.
The Abrogation Process
For a definition of “abrogation” see Option #2 above.
On January 10, Jake Dornblaser, program coordinator for the city’s Streets to Stability: Safe Rest Village program, sent an email saying “Today the City responded to the GSA, seeking to purchase (abrogate) some portions of the property to continue the use as a Safe Rest Village. The City of Portland and the GSA will begin discussing the details on how this might work, and we will keep you informed as we move forward. As before, we remain committed to the Multnomah Safe Rest Village and continuing the critical service that it offers. Village operations will remain open as we consider these options.”
Here are links to his1/10 email and the 2 attachments detailing the city’s proposal.
Email 1/10 text
Letter dated 1/9 from the city’s Office of Management and Finance to the General Services Administration (GSA)
City Proposed Abrogation Site Plan Exhibit
On January 25, 2023, GSA sent a letter detailing what is needed for abrogation, and Jake Dornblaser forwarded it to us on the 26th. The letter laid out a timeline of events. According to the letter an appraisal of the property is due in June and a letter of agreement will be drafted within 30 days by GSA for City review within 30 days, estimated by or before August 31. We are checking with the city agency responsible for the Safe Rest Village to confirm that timeline and current status.
Selected Contact information for SRV-related matters
Contact for issues OUTSIDE the SRV:
For an immediate threat to life or property, call 911.
Describe the situation to the 911 operator, who will select appropriate response, such as Portland Street Response, medical, fire, police, or other resources,.
To report camps, litter, other city-related needs.
Visit PDX reporter online
…To use PDX Reporter you will need a free login with the City of Portland, which can be set up right away.
One Point of Contact:
… Call 311, the City’s one point of contact referral team Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 6 PM except holidays. Going 24/7 soon.
Click here for more on One Point of Contact
Project Respond — Multnomah County Crisis Line: 503-988-4888
24/7 phone support for everyone — people experiencing houselessness and housed residents.
They can dispatch appropriate responders, including 911 services like police and Portland Street Response.
s, or the police.
If there is a crime NOT an immediate threat to life or property,
Call police non-emergency 503-823-3333.
Click here for a guide to when to use the non-emergency number.
Onsite direct contact for INSIDE the Multnomah SRV, issues like noise, glare, inappropriate language audible outside the SRV:
Multnomah SRV Phone Contact: (971) 716-3203. Reaches onsite staff 24/7.
Multnomah SRV Site Manager: Brian Linné, blinne@allgoodnw.org
Click here for our comprehensive list of public safety contacts
Site Plan
Multnomah Blvd is at the bottom of the plan
Updates From The City
City Safe Rest Villages Newsletter
Click here to subscribe
From the August 22 Safe Rest Villages Project Newsletter:
A Year of Progress for Safe Rest Villages
In August 2021, shortly after federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was secured for the Safe Rest Village (SRV) project, Commissioner Dan Ryan appointed the City’s first Houselessness Strategies Manager to lead the initiative. The assignment: develop a team to drive authentic community engagement, identify viable sites for selection and development, oversee grant management and reporting, and to pilot efforts that will streamline future tiny village development in Portland. And, of course, establish safe, supportive environments for people to replenish, focus on their next steps, and build community. It’s been quite a year, with much work happening behind the scenes.
Click here for the full newsletter
BACKGROUND: Basic Information From City and County
Source: City of Portland and Multnomah County
See also “Further Info From The City” section below for more detail
Joint Office of Homeless Service
The Joint Office of Homeless Services, established in 2016, represents a shared commitment between Multnomah County and the City of Portland to make services easier to access for people experiencing homelessness in Multnomah County.
Learn more about A Home for Everyone, the community-wide effort to address homelessness that led to the creation of the Joint Office, at ahomeforeveryone.net(link is external).
Impact Reduction Program (HUCIRP)
This is the program that handles camps or other issues outside the SRV site. They respond to reports sent to pdxreporter.com or called into 311.
The City of Portland’s Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program provides garbage removal, hygiene access, resource referral and job opportunities – and removes campsites that pose the highest risk to health and safety.
About Safe Rest Villages
Safe Rest Villages are a new model, part of a coordinated program to expand options to address the needs of our city’s homeless population: the Shelter to Housing Continuum (S2HC). It is important to know about S2HC in order to understand the context for Safe Rest Villages. Learn more about S2HC
General information about Safe Rest Villages
If you read only one thing from the city, read this:
What a Safe Rest Village is and isn’t
See also “Further Info from the City” below.
City Documents for Safe Rest Villages
Ordinance 190478 establishing Safe Rest Villages
Ordinance 190380 as amended – S2HC
—Exhibit A – Adopted Findings Report
—Exhibit B – Vol. 2 – Title 33 Code Changes
……..See Pages 100, 101, 104, 105 re shelters in EG zones
—Vol. 1 – Intro, Legislative intent, further findings
—Vol. 3 – Amendments to other titles not re planning, zoning
2008 Application Conveying Sears Center to Portland for emergency management
About the Multnomah SRV
Why the “Multnomah” Safe Rest Village instead of “Sears”?
This is the official name for the SRV. It shows that this is not the entire Sears armory site, but a temporary transition program using a part of the Sears site parking lot for the city’s Safe Rest Village in the Multnomah neighborhood.
FAQ Sheet for the Multnomah SRV
Address / Land Owner: 2731 SW Multnomah Blvd (a portion of the Sears Armory parking lot)
- This is a large, paved site, with several of other emergency management uses, including current uses by Portland Water Bureau, Portland Bureau of Transportation, and Portland Bureau of Emergency Management.
- This site has enough space to ensure we can build a Safe Rest Village to serve many pods, as well as site amenities like common areas, shared restroom, kitchen, laundry, and shower facilities, etc.
- Up to 60 pods could be accommodated at this site (30 were actually sited there)
- Transit access (Bus # 12 on Barbur)
All Good NW (AGNW) details on Multnomah (Sears) Village
Detailed info about rules and limits on resident behavior
Multnomah SRV Manual
Multnomah SRV intake packet
County contract requirements.
AGNW Contract with Multnomah County for 2021 through August 31, 2024
AGNW Contract Program Instructions for 2022-23 including Multnomah SRV
Friends of Multnomah Safe Rest Village is a new group founded “to help make the Multnomah Safe Rest Village a success for our neighbors inside the SRV as well as for housed neighbors, through strong and positive neighborhood support!”
This group is not affiliated with MNA.
Website
Facebook Group
News from Friends of Multnomah SRV 6/28/2022
MULTNOMAH NA ACTIONS
MNA Motions re SRV
NOTE: Multnomah Neighborhood Association takes positions only after a vote of members at a general membership meeting which is open to all. Positions may be modified at later meetings as we learn more about a topic.
December 14, 2021: two motions were passed
1. Request the city to fund the Sears Westside Emergency Response Center. — Passed 44 yes 19 no.
2. Request the city to do a Type III Land Use Review on the Safe Rest Village Project. — Passed 48 yes 11 no.
January 11, 2022: a third motion was passed, but rescinded at our February meeting.
3. Request the city to allocate funding for the Sears SRV to the Bybee Lakes Hope Center instead — Passed 14 yes 13 no.
February 8, 2022: three motions were presented, after new information from the SRV Forum:
4. Participate in creating a Good Neighbor Agreement — Passed 72 yes 26 no 1 abstained.
5. Rescind the move of funding for the Sears SRV to Bybee Lakes Hope Center — Passed 41-19-2.
6. Rescind funding West Side Emergency Response Center from 2 ordinances — Tabled 44-4-1.
May 10, 2022: a motion to continue the GNA process passed
7. Continue GNA process — Passed 66-3
To see the text of a motion, click on the text name
All meeting materials, including motion texts and videos, are now on the Meetings page.
Questions For The City
NOTE: this is a space to allow resident opinions and concerns to be shared with the general public and Commissioner Ryan’s office. Every word is being sent to that office.
These lists do not represent official MNA positions.
- Summary 12 questions sent to Commissioner Ryan’s office for them to answer at the January 27 community forum. There will also be questions taken from the floor. (this list is a summary, not in residents’ own words.)
- Commissioner Ryan’s SRV team’s Answers to our 12 Summary Questions
- All questions and comments to date – by category
Arranged by major areas of interest.
Every question or comment sent to us is in this file or associated essay files for comments by Individuals who wrote especially detailed commentaries. - Full essays by residents whose views were not fully included in the questions and comments file.
These also go to Commissioner Ryan’s office. - Categories of questions and comments
NOTE: To respect privacy, we do not attach names on lists we publish.
If you want to send the city a comment in your name to get a direct response from them, please send it to saferestvillages@portlandoregon.gov. That email address has multiple people monitoring and responding.
Please also cc. multnomah-chair@swni.org, so we can add it to our ongoing record of neighbor views.
Have a question or comment to share with the Multnomah Neighborhood Association?
Please click here to send it to us.
We will add it to the full list of questions and comments about SRV, which is updated regularly.
Please let us know if you want us also to forward it to the city’s saferestvillages address above.
SRV Forum with City 1/27/2022
On Thursday, January 27, over 160 residents met for two hours via Zoom with Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan and his SRV staff. The video of the forum is posted on our Multnomah NA Youtube channel and the link will be distributed to our Mailchimp notifications list. This discussion and questions forum is the first time the neighborhood has heard directly from the city about the Safe Rest Village planned for the Sears site, so it is well worth watching carefully as a resource for our next steps.
Click here for the video and video log. The log has been updated with more detailed live links to sections of the video.
Past Meetings Featuring SRV
Multnomah General Meeting Feb. 8, 2022
At our February General Meeting three motions were considered:
1. participate in creating a Good Neighbor Agreement (passed 72-26-1),
2. Rescind the move of funding for the Sears SRV to Bybee Lakes Hope Center (passed 41-19-2),
3. Rescind funding West Side Emergency Response Center from 2 ordinances (Tabled 44-4-1).
Meeting materials and video are on the Meetings page.
Multnomah General Meeting Jan. 11, 2022
Our January General Meeting Featured guests from Civic Life and Arbor Lodge NA with over 40 in attendance.
Two motions were passed: one creating an Equity Statement and another to request moving funding for the Sears SRV to Bybee Lakes Hope Center. Texts of the motions are above under Latest Developments. Meeting materials are on the Meetings page.
The meeting was recorded. Click here for the video and video log
Multnomah General Meeting Dec. 14, 2021
Our December 14 General Meeting discussed the Sears Safe Rest Village and heard neighbors’ comments and questions with over 100 in attendance.
Two motions were passed: one about funding an emergency center (not SRV) and another to request a Type III land use review of SRV at Sears. Texts of the motions are above under Latest Developments. Meeting materials are on the Meetings page.
The meeting was recorded. Click here for the video and video log
The Multnomah Neighborhood Association meets on the second Tuesday of the month. Confirm scheduled meetings and location on the Southwest Neighborhoods (SWNI) Calendar. Meetings are on Zoom unless noted otherwise.
Meetings are open to the public. Everyone is welcome
Neighbor Research
Since the SRV proposal was presented, neighbors have shared findings discovered through their own research. The findings are posted here for MNA members’ consideration. Only material from clearly identified and known sources has been included.
To submit material for posting, please email multnomah-chair@swni.org
Re: City appeal to GSA/FEMA
Submitted by Frank Rudloff
SRV Good Neighbor Agreement Status
LATEST as of March 28, 2023: Still waiting for final other parties to sign off on the GNA. More at our April general meeting. If status changes, we will notify the neighborhood ASAP. Meanwhile, the Citizen Advisory Committee for the GNA has been formed and is meeting regularly to discuss progress in operation of the SRV.
BACKGROUND
Over a year ago, MNA formed a SRV Working Group of 12 neighbors, co-chaired by Peter Samson and Frank Rudloff, to represent MNA’s interests in the development, with other neighborhood stakeholders, of an effective Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) with the City of Portland as the City develops a Safe Rest Village at the Sears site. Come to the next general meeting to learn more about the group’s current status.
At the May 10, 2022 general meeting the membership OKed our draft GNA for starting negotiations with the city. Vote was overwhelmingly positive — 66 yes, 3 no — but with concerns that the city will reject or water down key elements like specifed criminal checks, a 1,000-foot no-camping zone, and a standing neighborhood advisory group.
A joint team from MNA and the West Hills Christian School is negotiating with the city and county on the negotiated GNA to be presented to the membership to approve or reject. There is no timeline yet on when a GNA will be finished, but the Safe Rest Village has been operating for nearly a year without a GNA so we hope the GNA will be done soon.
All Good NW (AGNW) details on Multnomah (Sears) Village
Detailed info about rules and limits on resident behavior
Multnomah SRV Manual
Multnomah SRV intake packet
County contract requirements.
AGNW Contract with Multnomah County for 2021 through August 31, 2024
AGNW Contract Program Instructions for 2022-23 including Multnomah SRV
SRV work group interviews Andy Goebel, Executive Director of All Good NW. Click here for the video
What is a Good Neighbor Agreement?
Good Neighbor Agreements (GNA) are unofficial documents that outline a set of guidelines between a business and another party – neighbors, neighborhood association, business association or other business. GNAs are not legal City of Portland documents and are not enforceable by City of Portland staff.
As a community member or a business, a GNA is a tool for having a conversation about concerns and expectations, then coming to agreement on whatever issues arise. This is a neighborly approach to problem-solving, but is not a binding legal document.
(from Portland’s Office of Community & Civic Life)
NEWS COVERAGE
General Articles on Homelessness
OPB 9/7/2022 – Portlanders with disabilities sue city over tents on sidewalks
PSU study of existing homeless villages
SW Connection 5/5/2022 brief news summary
Full report (large 42MB file)
OPB News 3/30/2022 — Property owners sue Multnomah county over planned central eastside shelter
KGW-TV 3/11/2022 — In an about-face, liberal US cities target homeless camps
Oregonian/Oregon Live 2/19/2022 — Steve Duin opinion: The rescue operation at Bybee Lakes
Boston Globe 1/31/2022 — To end homelessness, start by looking inward
Opinion Articles by Multnomah Neighborhood residents
This section is a service for Multnomah residents to share opinion articles related to Safe Rest Villages in the Multnomah neighborhood. Submissions of all viewpoints are welcome. Articles need to have appeared in an established print or online publication and include full and transparent attribution, which will be posted as part of the article.
Send the article, including its URL link, to multnomah-chair@swni.org.
NOTICE: Opinion articles posted in this section of the MNA website reflect the views solely of the author(s) and are not the position or policies of the Association.
Portland Tribune “My View” 2/8/2022 — The City of Portland is a Bad Neighbor
Oregonlive “In Our Opinion” 2/2/2022 — Multnomah Neighbors Should Welcome Safe Rest Villages
About Safe Rest Villages, including Sears SRV
KGW-TV 4/28/2023 — Homeowner flight from Portland’s first Safe Rest Village
Pamplin Media 7/30/2022 — Multco Overpaid Homeless Camp Provider
Pamplin Media 6/30/2022 — FEMA: Safe Rest Village violates Sears Armory restrictions
Oregonlive.com 6/10/2022 — First Portland Homeless Shelter Village Set to Open Next Week
Willamette Week 5/28/2022 — Old Town Homeless Village Will Close
KGW-TV 5/13/2022 — Queer Affinity Safe Rest Village Opens on SW Naito
Pamplin Media 5/6/2022 — Satellite campers test shelters, Safe Rest Villages
NOTE: The Arbor Lodge shelter is run by Do Good NW, the group that Andy Goebel used to be in.
KOIN-TV 5/6/2022 — Community group revokes support for Safe Rest Village near school
Northwest Labor Press 5/4/2022 — Workers at tiny house villages want a union for safety
KPTV-TV 4/27/2022 — Safe Rest Village in SW Portland set to open in May
Includes quotes from interview with Moses Ross
Pamplin Media 4/20/2022 – Multnomah Safe Rest Village could be first in PDX
KATU-TV 4/12/2022 — Portland residents frustrated over Safe Rest Village plan
Pamplin Media 4/5/2022 — New research highlights success, shortcomings of homeless villages
Click here for the whole 138-page PSU report– WARNING: this is a large 42-MB file
KGW-TV 3/24/2022 — Bybee Lakes expands to offer more shelter beds
Street Roots 3/9/2022 — All 6 Safe Rest Village sites are confirmed, what’s next?
KOIN-TV 3/1/2022 — Helping Hands won’t help Safe Rest Villages over safety
KOIN-TV 2/28/2022 — Portland’s plan to help homeless plagued by ‘fear of unknown’
KOIN-TV 2/28/2022 — Low barrier to safe rest villages concern neighbors
KGW-TV 2/25/2022 — Neighbors react to Safe Rest Village site choices
KOIN-TV 2/24/2022 — Fear of unknown plagues Safe Rest Village site choices
Oregonian/Oregon Live 2/24/2022 — Sites for 4 Portland homeless shelter villages announced
Subscriber exclusive – enter your email address to read the article
Oregonian/Oregon Live 2/18/2022 — Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler now seeks to relocate homeless campers to designated sites, not mass indoor shelters – Subscriber Exclusive — enter your email address to read without subscribing
Key quote: “I still strongly support safe rest villages,” Wheeler told The Oregonian/OregonLive. “They represent one solution in a spectrum of solutions.”
Pamplin Media 2/11/2022 — Wheeler Aide Proposed Mass Homeless Shelters
Oregonlive 2/2/2022 — Strict Portland homeless nonprofit wants to manage taxpayer-financed shelter
Southwest Connection 2/4/2022 — City won’t review Safe Rest Village, but feds will
Pamplin Media 2/2/2022 — City says FEMA review not likely to hamper safe rest village
KPTV-TV 2/2/2022 — Neighbors of SW Portland Safe Rest Village still have unanswered questions
Willamette Week 1/27/2022 — Helping Hands In Discussion With City to Manage Safe Rest Village in Southwest Portland
Street Roots 1/18/2022 — Miles to Go: Planned Safe Rest Villages
Buy the current Street Roots from your local Street Roots vendor
KGW-TV 1/10/2022 — Straight Talk on Behavioral Health Challenges and the homeless
KOIN-TV 1/8/2022 — FEMA Reviewing Safe Rest Village at Sears Armory
OPB 1/1/2022 — City Commissioner Dan Ryan on Outdoor Shelters
Pamplin Media 12-26-2021 — Land use review requested for Safe Rest Village at Sears Armory
Hillsdale News 12-17-2021 SW Responds to Homelessness Crisis
KOIN 12-16-2021 — Safe Rest Village adjacent to Portland school worries parents
Pamplin Media 12-16-2021 — Neighbors, parents debate Safe Rest Village locations
originally on KOIN 6 news
Pamplin Media 12-10-2021 — Neighbors Feel Blindsided by Plans for Safe Rest Village
Oregonlive 12-01-2021 — Portland Homeless Villages Won’t Open Until 2022
NOTE: Subscriber Exclusive — If you aren’t a subscriber, you may enter your email address to read it.
Portland Tribune 11-29-2021 — Ryan: Safe Rest Villages are Emergency Management
Oregonian 11-24-2021 – New Homeless Village Announced on Portland’s West Side
Portland Tribune 11-22-2021 — Southwest Portland Safe Rest Village site announced
Willamette Week 11-22-2021 — City Announces Third Safe Rest Village, This One Near Multnomah Village
Portland Mercury 11-22-2021 — City Announces Third Planned Location for Homeless Village
KOIN-TV 10/1/2021 — Neighbors Near Safe Rest Village site ‘not comfortable’
NOT Sears, but another location entirely
FURTHER DETAIL From The City
Click Here for the homelessness toolkit – This is a central resource for city initiatives on homelessness, not just safe rest villages.
More Detail on Sears Site from Commissioner Ryan’s office
Subject: When will a Village open at the Sears site?
From: “Montez, Chariti” <Chariti.L.Montez@portlandoregon.gov>
Date: November 22, 2021 at 4:41:20 PM PST
We are still in initial stages for this site. We still need to identify a shelter operator (the Joint Office of Homeless Services is working on that), engage with the community, design the outdoor shelter layout, go through permitting, and develop the site (construction). That said, we’re looking at weeks/months — not years. We are working with urgency, and we’re hopeful that since the site is owned/operated by the City, is already paved, and already has utilities on site that we can move more quickly than at other sites where more site development is required.
Cheers,
Chariti
Chariti Li Montez
Houselessness Strategies Manager | Streets to Stability: Safe Rest Villages
Office of Commissioner Dan Ryan
Pronouns: she/they
1120 SW 5th Avenue, 9th Floor
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 865-6404
chariti.l.montez@portlandoregon.gov
Subject: Safe Rest Village at 2731 SW Multnomah Boulevard
From: Montez, Chariti <Chariti.L.Montez@portlandoregon.gov>
Date: Mon, Nov 22, 2021 at 2:00 PM
Chariti Montez here, with the Safe Rest Village project out of Commissioner Dan Ryan’s Office. I am emailing to reach out about a Safe Rest Village site that we plan to announce later today. It will be a managed outdoor shelter for people experiencing houselessness, located at 2731 SW Multnomah Blvd (using a portion of the Sears Armory parking lot). The press release will be coming out this later afternoon, and in preparation, Commissioner Ryan wanted to be sure you had some info in case you hear from community members, partners, or your respective neighborhoods.
As leaders and critical points of contact for the SW community, we wanted to give you information directly so you can understand more about our program. The site will contain shelter pods, and will be run by a non-profit provider through the Joint Office of Homeless Services.
Here are three hyperlinks that should be helpful:
Program website: Streets to Stability: Safe Rest Villages | Portland.gov
Specific page containing useful info: What Safe Rest Villages Will and Will Not Be | Portland.gov
Program email (feel free to direct anyone who has more questions here, if you’d like): saferestvillages@portlandoregon.gov I’ve attached some information that helps explain more about what Safe Rest Villages will be, and our engagement plan going forward. Once announced, our more targeted site-specific Community Engagement efforts will begin. Our Community Engagement team (who I’ve copied in this email) and I will be happy to answer questions as we move forward with this site. Meanwhile, a bit more information on the program is below:
WHAT THEY ARE
- Managed outdoor shelters serving some of Portland’s most vulnerable residents
- Filling a critical service gap in the streets to housing continuum
- Low barriers to entry (over 18 and homeless)
- Outside shelters for adults
- Pets will be allowed
- Short term, transitional, with supportive services and case management
- Referral only, without day use or services for non-villagers
- No tents – pods will be provided (except for RV sites, also known as the Safe Park Program, which will be vehicles only)
- Safe, stable outdoor managed shelters with services, amenities and support for people as they transition to more stable housing.
HOW THEY WILL OPERATE
- Once the shelter operator is identified, we’re committed to hosting community meetings to discuss programming, shelter operations, and our relationship as a good neighbor.
- These sites will be managed by shelter operators in partnership with the City of Portland and Multnomah County.
- Create a safe, stable outdoor shelter with services, to support them as they transition to more long-term housing.
ROLE CLARITY:
- The City is working on site development, infrastructure, pods, permits etc., while also undertaking community engagement ahead of site development
- The County (through the Joint Office) is selecting and overseeing the non-profit Shelter Operator
- The Shelter Operator will develop ongoing relationships, agreements, and understandings with the neighbors
STAY IN TOUCH
- We encourage people that would like regular updates to sign up for the commissioners mailing list, visit our website which contains more information about the villages along with FAQs and to reach out to saferestvillages@portlandoregon.gov. This email has multiple people monitoring and responding, so it’s the best way to reach out with questions or thoughts specifically about the Safe Rest Villages program.
Thank you,
Chariti