Commissioner Ryan announces emergency declaration and four new Safe Rest Village sites

News Article
Published

Feb. 24, 2022  (Posted later to this News page)

Contacts:

Bryan Aptekar • 503.865.6863 • bryan.aptekar@portlandoregon.gov 

Margaux Weeke • 503.865.6405 • margaux.a.weeke@portlandoregon… 

COMMISSIONER RYAN ANNOUNCES EMERGENCY DECLARATION AND FOUR NEW SAFE REST VILLAGE SITES 

Today, Mayor Wheeler—through an Emergency Declaration—has granted emergency powers to Commissioner Ryan as his delegate to “consolidate and coordinate the implementation of Safe Rest Villages and alternative shelters.” Recognizing the urgent humanitarian crisis on our streets, the public’s vocal cry for action to both support those experiencing houselessness and to give the community safe access to their sidewalks, parks, and other public spaces, Mayor Wheeler and Commissioner Ryan are accelerating the process of establishing Safe Rest Villages (SRVs) throughout Portland.  

Safe Rest Villages will be managed, temporary, outdoor shelters with onsite case management, peer support, behavioral and mental health services, as well as amenities such as showers, flush toilets, laundry, trash/recycling, and community gathering spaces. For Portland, this is new—outdoor shelters where services are provided at the ground-level where they are most needed. Safe Rest Villages will provide unhoused Portlanders with stability, safety, and readiness for their next steps towards housing, reconnecting with family, recovery, and support for whatever their path may be. 

Building restorative Villages for people experiencing houselessness as an on-ramp toward housing has been Commissioner Ryan’s vision since he was first assigned oversight of the Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) and the Joint Office of Houseless Services. Safe Rest Villages began with unanimous City Council support for the Shelter to Housing Continuum in April of 2021, which allowed for outdoor shelters to be legitimate uses under the City’s land use code. Progress continued—again with unanimous Council support—for the Streets to Stability ordinance in June 2021, which set the stage for Safe Rest Villages by securing and directing federal American Rescue Plan dollars to the SRV initiative and instructing City bureaus to assess potential City-owned properties that could be used for SRVs. In September 2021 the SRV team was hired and has moved the project forward over the few short six months since they began, even when facing significant headwinds. 

“In a world of inaction, headwinds mean you’re doing something right,” said Commissioner Ryan. “Thank you to Mayor Wheeler for acting with urgency, to Commissioner Jayapal for being here today, to Commissioner Hardesty for supporting the PBOT property, Commissioner Mapps for supporting the Bureau of Environmental Services property, and to Commissioner Rubio for supporting the Portland Parks & Recreation-adjacent property that will be used to build Safe Rest Villages. I am thrilled to work with housed and unhoused neighbors to make each Village a success, and I appreciate everyone’s commitment to a safer, cleaner, compassionate Portland.”  

The purpose of this Emergency Declaration is to respond to the need for action, and to clear away some of those headwinds—particularly from within the City’s bureaucracy. It gives control to Commissioner Ryan over specific City-owned properties and leased sites that will allow swift Safe Rest Village development at the following sites: 

Safe Rest Village map

A. Existing Alternative Shelters:  

  1. BIPOC Village–84 NE Weidler  
  1. Old Town Village–NW 6th & NW Glisan 
  1. Queer Affinity Village (current location) SE Water & SE Main 
  1. Queer Affinity Village (relocating here in spring 2022)–2300 block SW Naito (previously announced site

B.  Identified or proposed City-owned Safe Rest Village sites:  

  1. Sears Armory–2731 SW Multnomah Blvd. (OMF) (already announced site
  1. Sunderland North Yard–9827 NE Sunderland Ave (PBOT) 
  1. Reedway site, at 106th block SE Reedway (BES property) 
  1. Portion of Peninsula Crossing Trail, 6631 N Syracuse St., (PHB/Parks). Note: This site is slated for future N/NE Housing Strategy affordable housing development.  

C.  Non-City owned for Safe Rest Village lease: 

  1. NW Naito Pkwy (Private property; owner consent is secured)  
  1. Menlo Park P&R, 122nd & E Burnside, (TriMet—lease negotiations nearly done; inclusion on this list is just acknowledgement this will be one of the SRV locations) (previously announced site

"A Safe Rest Village along the Peninsula Crossing Trail and a safe parking site at Sunderland will add to the continuum of care that includes a range of existing shelter options, services, and permanent housing,” said Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal. “I have been advocating for these solutions since I was approached early on by constituents who were requesting them in these areas to improve the quality of life for both the unhoused and housed neighbors living there. I look forward to the opportunity to work with all of the neighbors to make these Villages a success." 

“I am grateful to Commissioner Ryan for addressing some of our immediate needs with Safe Rest Villages around the City,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler. “This Emergency Declaration, done in partnership across bureaus, is a critical step in this effort to shelter those who remain unhoused.”

“Amongst today’s developments, I’m particularly proud that at my direction the Portland Bureau of Transportation have been such collaborative partners in helping find sites for these Safe Rest Villages,” said Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. “Now we have finally designated our first safe parking area, which has been a top priority. We know there is a lot more work to do, but I’m grateful to see progress towards dignified, humane shelter options while I push to enact policies that make it clear housing is a human right.”

“I appreciate Commissioner Ryan’s dedication to opening Safe Rest Villages and providing alternatives to congregate shelter,” said Commissioner Mingus Mapps. “We offered this property along with the Bureau Environmental Services because we know encampments deeply impact our sensitive wetlands and natural areas. This could be a suitable property with proper community outreach, planning, and safety considerations.

“City procedures ensure that we responsibly steward the public’s trust and taxes but, in this emergency, it is also clear that bureaucratic red tape is hamstringing our ability to address the housing crisis with urgency, compassion, and humanity,” said Commissioner Carmen Rubio. “I am grateful for the Mayor’s targeted, measured response and remain committed to Commissioner Ryan’s vision for these Safe Rest Villages.”

“As the State Representative for HD33 and a neighbor in NW Portland, I am grateful to see the announcement of additional locations for Safe Rest Villages in our city,” said Representative Maxine Dexter. “It is critical we continue to work together across the community and all levels of government to have a robust, effective, compassionate, and coordinated response to homelessness. I welcome the site which will provide shelter and services to our houseless neighbors in House District 33 along NW Naito Parkway. Helping people get connected to critical support services and into safe and stable shelter is a critical step on the path out of homelessness. Our community’s engagement and support is foundational to the success of this initiative and I am grateful for the collaboration and leadership my neighbors have shown in partnership with the city to welcome this safe rest village to NW Portland.”

The Safe Rest Village program is a partnership between the City of Portland and Multnomah County, through Commissioner Ryan’s office and the Joint Office of Homeless Services. The City of Portland is investing more than $16 million from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support the Safe Rest Villages project, which is among several local ARPA-funded efforts intended to serve the needs of our houseless neighbors.  

Portlanders are encouraged to visit the Safe Rest Villages website (www.SafeRestVillages.org) for more information and to contact SafeRestVillages@portlandoregon.gov with any specific questions or concerns.