The city of Portland finally got a piece of what it’s been asking for – state funding for its city-run alternative shelter sites for people experiencing homelessness.
But it was on the condition the city provide something more secure than tents for its first mass shelter site on the Central Eastside. Kotek said tents are not considered safe, habitable shelter and thus would not be funded.
Urban Alchemy, the California-based nonprofit the city chose to manage its first mass encampment at 1490 SE Gideon Street, is still slated to operate the alternative shelter with the City Council voting on the final contract Wednesday.
Initially, the controversial plan called for 100 tents that would provide a place to sleep for up to 150 people. But instead of tents, the Urban Alchemy site will now largely feature 140 state-funded “sleeping pods” which are expected to be the same or similar to the tiny homes that currently are used at the city’s Safe Rest Villages, said Cody Bowman, spokesperson for Mayor Ted Wheeler.
“The majority will be pods but we will also have tents for folks who for various reasons don’t feel comfortable in an enclosed space,” he said. “Those tents will not be funded” with the state’s emergency fun
Instead of tents, the Urban Alchemy site will now largely feature 140 state-funded “sleeping pods” which are expected to be the same or similar to the tiny homes that currently are used at the city’s Safe Rest Villages. Pictured is the Multnomah Safe Rest Village which utilize the tiny homes.
ding.
The site will also be equipped with showers, laundry facilities, restrooms, common eating spaces and a kitchen where meals will be served daily. Peer support workers and housing caseworkers will be on site to help people eventually transition to more permanent housing.
The state money comes from a $200 million package Kotek signed last month to help relieve Oregon’s homelessness crisis. The $18.2 million that Multnomah County, Portland and Gresham are collectively receiving from that larger pot of money will fund the 140 shelter pods and operating expenses for Central Eastside site, as well as helping to rehouse 275 people in the county.
While Kotek announced how much funding the Portland area would receive last Monday, she said money would not be released until Portland and the county resubmitted a more detailed proposal for how they planned to use their funding and demonstrated better collaboration. The updated proposal was submitted Thursday night. Funding is expected to be available to communities by April 28.
Nicole Hayden writes about homelessness for The Oregonian/OregonLive. She can be reached at nhayden@oregonian.com or on Twitter @Nicole_A_Hayden.
