The Joint Office of Homeless Services opened a severe weather winter shelter in Arbor Lodge on Friday, November 19. The shelter is at the site of a former Rite Aid that Multnomah County purchased last year with $2.6 million in one-time federal COVID-19 dollars.
The shelter has room for 58 people inside and up to 12 more people sheltered in pods outside. Longtime shelter provider Do Good Multnomah is serving as the operator. It will remain open through April 2022.
"The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management has been coordinating closely with agency partners to ensure our response is more seamless than ever, and that City employees are prepared to respond," Mayor Wheeler said during a press conference at the site on Friday.
Work to create the immediate winter shelter was supported by $5 million in state funding championed by House Speaker Tina Kotek. Construction and operations of the long-term shelter will be funded through Multnomah County’s share of the Metro Supportive Housing Services Measure.
The site will eventually become a long-term shelter, with room for up 120 people inside and 20 in sheltered pods outside.
No one will be turned away from a shelter during severe weather. The Joint Office declares “severe weather” when temperatures drop below 25 degrees, or when it’s below freezing and we see lots of rain or snow.To stay current on when we’re in severe weather, and how to help people access shelter, go to 211info.org and sign up for alerts.
Volunteers are needed during severe weather to help support shelter staff. Sign up to volunteer with Transition Projects here.
