PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved over $4 million for a new village-style shelter in Southeast Portland, the county announced Monday.
The Harrison Community Village Alternative Shelter – which will be located at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue -- will house 38 tiny home pods to house 45 adults and will add to Portland’s portfolio of nearly 3,000 shelter beds, officials said.
The new shelter funding comes as two other shelters from the Joint Office of Homeless Services are in development, which will add to the 17 year-round shelters opened in the county since 2020 and nine shelters opened by the City of Portland built in the same timeframe.
“Too many of our neighbors are forced to sleep outside with no access to shelter,” said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “That’s why I’ve made expanding the number of shelters in Multnomah County one of my top priorities while we also expand permanent housing opportunities. The combination of more shelter and more housing will ensure more people in our community have a safe place to sleep, along with wraparound services that help them achieve long-term stability.”
An amendment to the funding proposal by Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards was also approved and requires the county to sign a Good Neighbor Agreement with nearby residents and businesses before the shelter opens. The amendment also requires the county to work with the City of Portland and local schools to create a safe route to school plan.
“If you’re on the Eastside of Portland — and I’ve lived within a mile of 82nd Avenue for 50 years — you often feel things are going to happen to you and you don’t have a lot to say,’’ Commissioner Brim-Edwards said. “I hope the amendments provide a way for the community, both the school community, the parents and the neighbors to have that engagement that answers their questions and addresses many of their very legitimate concerns.’’
The Joint Office has not yet selected a service provider to run the shelter, but once it has, the office will formally launch the Good Neighbor Agreement process, officials said.
With the $4 million in funding -- thanks to the voter-approved Supportive Housing Services Measure -- the shelter will offer wraparound services, bathrooms, showers, kitchenette amenities, and laundry facilities.
The new shelter comes after the county, City of Portland, City of Gresham and service providers developed a sheltering strategy with the goal of creating 1,000 more shelter units in the county by Dec. 31, 2025.
