Mayor Ted Wheeler declared a State of Emergency due to forecasted severe cold weather and snow starting Wednesday, December 21, 2022. Multnomah County also declared a State of Emergency that went into effect on Tuesday, December 20, 2022.
The County and the City of Portland and their service provider partners will open four severe weather shelters from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, for as long as conditions require. No one will be turned away.
- Portsmouth Union: 4775 N. Lombard St., Portland, OR 97203,
- Arbor Lodge: 1952 N. Lombard St., Portland, OR 97217
- Sunrise Center: 18901 E. Burnside St., Portland, OR 97233
- Oregon Convention Center, 960 NE 1st Ave. Portland, OR 97232
All sites will welcome pets and will be accessible to people with disabilities. Free transportation to warming shelters will be available by calling 2-1-1.
Care for When It's Cold | Multnomah County
How to Help
If you see someone outside without shelter, and it appears they might need assistance, please call the non-emergency police line.
Non-emergency Police Line - (503) 823 – 3333
If someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call Multnomah County’s 24-hour crisis line:(503) 988 – 4888.
On our coldest night, when we’ve declared a severe weather emergency, please call 211 if you see someone who needs shelter. During severe weather, no one seeking a shelter bed will be turned away.
Another way you can help is by donating life-saving winter gear early in the season, so outreach teams will have them on hand when conditions turn especially cold.
Go to 211info.org/donations to find lists of providers and their needs for winter gear – hats, coats, gloves, sleeping bags and socks, etc. Many providers include online shopping links along with their lists, making donating more convenient than ever. You can donate right from your phone or computer in just a few minutes.
You can also go to tprojects.org and sign up with Transition Projects to train as a warming shelter volunteer. Transition Projects is one of the community partners paid through the Joint Office of Homeless Services to staff severe weather shelters on the coldest or snowiest nights of the year.
Winter weather and City of Portland services
The City is responsible for Portland's streets, parks, water, storm drains and garbage collection, which can all be impacted by winter weather. Up-to-date winter weather information will help you prepare for – and get through – the next snowpocalypse.