As the most bitter winter months hit Portland, local nonprofit All Good Northwest opened a seasonal overnight shelter in North Portland at the Portsmouth Union Church with funding from the Joint Office of Homeless Services. The shelter marks a departure from other current county-operated or funded extreme cold shelters, which open for a limited time when strict weather criteria are met.
The church shelter, located at 4775 N. Lombard St., opened Jan. 2 and will remain open each night from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. until April 1. The shelter had 37 beds upon opening but will expand to “provide emergency shelter to up to 50 individuals nightly,” according to a Dec. 28, 2023, All Good Northwest press release. The church hosted similar weather shelters in recent years.
“This emergency shelter will provide a safe space for individuals to stay warm and dry overnight, a critical need for those experiencing houselessness,” the press release said.
The shelter also temporarily expanded to 24-hour operations during the winter storm that inundated Portland with ice, snow and below-freezing temperatures beginning Jan. 13.
While the shelter is “low-barrier,” meaning it lacks the payment and sobriety requirements some shelters have, people do need a referral to get in, which is another departure from temporary county-operated cold weather shelters.
“Entry into the program will be conducted through referral only, those seeking shelter are asked not to arrive at the shelter location,” the press release said.
All Good Northwest is administering the referral program, but homeless Portlanders can self-refer by calling 971-716-2407 and requesting a spot in the shelter.
All Good Northwest also provides on-site services like resource navigation, snacks, coffee, bottled water and cold weather gear, according to Sydney Nelson, All Good Northwest communications specialist.
“We’re trying to send everyone out every day with something warm and cozy to keep them during the day,” Nelson said.
All Good Northwest is seeking winter weather item donations, including hand warmers, new socks and new shoes. Donors can drop items at the shelter when it’s open or take donations to All Good Northwest at 1300 SE Stark St., Room #208, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“Any season is challenging to be an individual experiencing homelessness,” Nelson said. “Winter is … incredibly dangerous and damp and uncomfortable for folks. While we’re really grateful to be able to offer a respite overnight for folks to have a safe, dry space to stay warm and sleep and rest, there’s still many hours left in the day.”
Extreme weather shelters have gained importance in recent years as colder winters and hotter summers hit the region, and the city ramped up sweeps and throttled Portland Fire & Rescue Bureau’s tent and supply distribution. The church shelter is currently the only county-funded extreme weather shelter that will remain open through the winter, regardless of forecasts.
The county expanded its extreme weather shelters after homeless Portlanders died from exposure at increased rates in the harsher summers and winters but came under fire last winter for shelter opening criteria advocates argue are too limited. While the county added a new, more flexible element to the criteria this winter, the county has still rarely opened its emergency shelters.
Two homeless Multnomah County residents died from exposure to cold in November and December 2022, according to the county’s latest Domicile Unknown report, down from eight such deaths in 2021. The Multnomah County Medical Examiner identified two suspected hypothermia deaths on Jan. 12 and Jan. 13 in Portland’s latest winter storm, though the housing status of the decedents and if there are additional deaths were unknown at the time of publication.
The city of Portland first developed the criteria: forecasted temperature of 25 degrees or below; forecasted snow accumulation of 1 inch or more; forecasted temperature at or below 32 degrees with driving rain of 1 inch or more overnight. The county adopted the criteria when it became the primary provider of emergency shelter several years ago. In 2023, the county added, “The county's chief operating officer or their designee may consider other conditions or circumstances during a severe weather event that could increase the risk to the community.”
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