N Portland Road (10505 N Portland Road)
This page was originally published 1.2.24. Updated 12.09.24
Shelter Operator: Urban Alchemy
Referrals: Referrals are made directly by specific outreach workers only. We cannot accept self-referral or third-party referral requests at this time.
Phone Number: 971-269-0024 (available 24/7)
- Please DO NOT call this number to report an unsanctioned camp. If there is camping in the area, please call 311 to report it to the Impact Reduction Program.
Shelter Capacity: 90 sleeping units, 70 RV Parking Spots
Shelter Type: City Shelter Site, a temporary alternative shelter, with case management, amenities, and mental and behavioral health services on-site.
Open Since: November 2024
Address / Land Owner: 10505 N Portland Rd. / Bureau of Environmental Services (BES)
Links to the location on maps: Portland Maps link. Google Maps link.
Community Guidelines
Why does this site include parking for RVs?
According to the Joint Office for Homeless Services 2022 point in time count, approximately 20% of people living unsheltered identified as living in a vehicle of some sort. We know from our outreach work that many of these individuals were priced out of their homes or faced eviction and opted to live out of a vehicle as their last resort before unsheltered tent camping outside.
The total bed capacity across Portland’s system of emergency homeless shelters is around 3,500. Absent a shelter that can accommodate an RV, if someone who is sleeping in an RV needs shelter, they’re required to park their vehicle on the street, leaving their belongings behind at the risk of theft or towing. Furthermore, many of the RVs are old, broken down and not necessarily safe for human habitation, especially when parked on a residential street.
As apparent from the dozens of dilapidated RVs parked along the industrial and residential streets in neighborhoods around the city, there is an urgent need for a space where folks can continue to sleep in their vehicle while storing it safely as they go to work or access services in the community.
This site, along with the existing Sunderland RV Safe Park, address a need not currently met by other programs in the homelessness service systems in Portland and serve a substantial subset of Portland’s homeless population.
Why was this location chosen?
The City is working to choose shelter locations in different geographic areas in Portland. Between all operational City Shelter Services sites, there are three shelters in Southeast Portland, three shelters in North/Northeast Portland, two in Southwest Portland, and one in Northwest Portland. The City has surveyed more than 100 potential properties across Portland over the past two and a half years, each one with pros and cons for potential development as a temporary shelter. This site presented as a strong option for an RV shelter due to its size, availability for development, and ownership by the city.
I’ve heard there might be contamination on this land. What did the City do about it?
This project does indeed fall into the category of a “brownfield development” — a practice that is routine and safe, as it is directed by Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) protocols and guidance. Just as the site development and use of lands in the entire Pearl District in downtown Portland, which was all once the back lot of the train station, or the South Waterfront area's historic shipyard uses, when a brownfield is developed the city follows the direction of DEQ to ensure that all precautions and site preparations are made for new uses. Read more about Brownfield development here.
To be clear, the City would not and will never shelter anyone on a site that wasn’t safe.
The City collected samples for testing to gain guidance from DEQ on how to mitigate any possible concerns of contaminants in the soil. In early 2024, minimal site preparation, which didn't disturb the soil, was completed, including the removal of barrels, trash, and more than 3,000 tires from the property.
On April 30, 2024, DEQ hosted a public meeting to communicate data and decisions around the brownfield development effort at this site.
On May 2, 2024, the DEQ approved the CMMP, which guided how the City developed the site to prevent human and environmental exposure. The DEQ Project Manager notified the City that “Approval of the CMMP allows for earthwork and other ground-disturbing activities to begin.”
DEQ provided direction on how to test and then address potential contamination of this site, in order to protect human and environmental health on this site. In late August 2024, the DEQ approved all of the City's plans and actions, allowing this project to move forward safely. Read more about this on the DEQ website.
The City will continue to follow all DEQ guidance and keep the state agency informed of site work to ensure proper caution and procedures are followed.
What services are included onsite?
Like with all other City Shelters, we have a variety of wraparound services included onsite. That includes the basics such as laundry machines, showers, toilets and kitchenettes for guests to store food. However, Urban Alchemy also provides onsite case management and housing navigation services to their participants. This site will also include a wellness area - a setaside area of the site designed to support those on a journey to recovery. The City Shelter Services team has also worked to bring other vital services to participants, including a Central City Concern medical van, insurance enrollment support, and a mobile pharmacy.
Engagement Process - Moving Forward (Fall 2024)
As the shelter is now open, to fulfill our mandate to provide shelter and supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness, we are also excited to build a relationship between the shelter and its neighboring communities.
We hosted our first shelter-focused community meeting in October 2024. In that meeting, we discussed our Good Neighbor Commitments and heard from the community that there is interest in a Good Neighbor Agreement. Representatives from the City Shelter Services Team and Portland Solutions shared the engagement process we built from our experience managing our shelter portfolio. We shared how the City has successfully established regular, productive communication avenues for nearby community stakeholders. We also asked for feedback from the community about any specific concerns related directly to the N Portland Rd shelter. You can read the report about this meeting here.
In our second meeting, City representatives will present a Good Neighbor Agreement, if there is voiced interest within the stakeholders, including a clear communication structure, informed by City and community stakeholder input. Community stakeholders will have the option to sign the document and join a Community Advisory Committee, where interested parties can productively contribute to the shelter’s success and problem solve around issues if they arise.