A u g u s t 3. 2011
$Iorthinò (Observer
Commons
c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 13
“I think what is really interesting
has been watching people move
into the apartments,” she said.
On the day it opened, the waiting
list to get into the commons' afford
able housing was already 150 names
long. Currently, Duke said the wait
ing list has reached 450 individuals.
“This is pretty fast paced,” said
Duke. “There are quite a number of
people out there who could ben
efit.”
already patients or they think will be
appropriate for the housing, includ
ing Outside In, Central City Con
cern, Native American Rehabilita
tion Association and Multnomah
County West Clinic.
Duke explained that rent for the
residents of the affordable housing
units is 30 percent of their income.
“If their income is zero then they pay
zero, she said. “We are working
hard to help people access ben-
Page 17
dedicated to serving people’s basic
needs as they tran sitio n from
homelessness to housing, both the
patio and recreation room were filled
with people.
Connections, in addition to of
fering housing assistance for home
less individuals, also provides a
number of other immediate services,
including individual showers, cloth
ing, laundry, access to residential
programs, information and referrals
and a computer lab, telephones and
even a hair salon.
“I think this is making a huge
difference,” said Fern Elledge, Con-
tiny waiting area with only 12 seats.
The new facility she said is “clean
and modem and has space for people
to be.”
Still, the center on Friday was
providing services for 50 to 80
people, and according to Elise
Flanders, who has worked at the
day center since it opened, said
“This is pretty slow right now.”
While the Bud Clark Commons
stands as a testament that the City
of Portland has made some progress
to reduce homelessness within the
city, even with the new building, the
need for further resources has be
come increasingly evident.
“The public investments we’ve
made in the 10-Year Plan, and the
effective work of our community
partners, shows us that we are put
ting our money in the right places to
end homelessness, enabling us to
“hold the line” against even greater
increases in homelessness,” said
Hampto. “Yet, our work is not done.”
Duke agreed.
“I am pretty sure we could fill up
more than 130 units if we had them,”
she said. “It is hard to get better and
make changes for your life if you
don’t have a home to go back to. If
you can’t take care of yourself then
it is hard to live. “
According to Hampto, the recent
strategic plan made by the Portland
Housing Bureau for 2011-2013 will
continue to prioritize development
and preservation of affordable units
for the most vulnerable residents
because most people simply need
housing they can afford.
She said there is a need to in
crease the current level of funding
for residential programs to finish
the job of ending homelessness.
“It is scary and dangerous to live
outside,” said Duke. “It is hard to
protect yourself and stay safe.”
The 130-units at Bud Clark Com
mons are expected to be filled by
Labor Day weekend.
As part of the plan to reduce
homelessness and create a commu
nity resource for those most in need,
the new building, which celebrated
its grand opening on June 2, has
become a multi-faceted center, of
fering a day resource center to ad
dress basic needs, a 90 bed m en’s
shelter and a 130 unit apartment
complex for homeless individuals
considered to be the most vulner
able.
“The comm ons’ 130 units of
housing will take a small step to
ward restoring a healthy balance of
housing options,” said Maileen
Hampto, public information officer
for the Portland Housing Bureau.
“The day center is an essential re
source for people who are currently
experiencing homelessness to get
connected to vital information and
basic services as they apply for
housing, jobs, and benefits.”
The building and services were
made possible through partnerships
between the Portland Housing Bu
reau, Home Forward (formerly, the
Housing Authority of Portland),
T ran sitio n P ro je cts, Inc., and
Multnomah County.
The Portland Housing Bureau
invested $29.5 million to build the
Bud Clark Commons, and in the first
year, the city will fund operations.
photo by M indy C< x ) per /T he P ortland O bserver
Located downtown at the edge
Fern Elledge, connections director for the Bud Clark Commons, gives a tour o f the new downtown
of Northwest Broadway Avenue
housing landmark and its Transitions, Inc. day center and homeless shelter, which provides a
and Hoyt Street, the center is the
number o f immediate services for homeless people throughout the metro area.
first of its kind in the country to earn
an energy saving LEED Platinum
Each week, she said, there are efits.”
rating and has made great strides in new people being assessed, but not
According to Hampto, on a one- nections director. “It’s wonderful
the initiative to end homelessness all of those on the list are considered night count conducted in January, to have the space where people can
within the city.
to be vulnerable to homelessness. more than 2,700 people were home access service in dignity.”
“We don’t have enough hous
Because of the high need for less in Portland. Although nearly 40
She said the old service center,
ing for people who can’t afford housing, the candidates are selected percent of these individuals were in located at Northwest Fifth Avenue
market rent,” said Rachael Duke, through a very particular process. shelters, the rest were sleeping on and Glisan Street downtown, had a
manager of operations and partner
ships for Home Forward. “So every
time we build new housing, we are
h e lp in g to end p e o p le being
hom elessness.”
Home forward, which is the larg
est provider of affordable housing
in the state of Oregon, developed
the building and manages the 130-
unit apartment community.
“I think this is a great model, and
it is very exciting to be here,” said
Duke, who has been diligently work
ing on the project for over a year
now.
In sid e the new a p artm e n t
building’s lobby last week, Duke
photo by M indy C ooper /T he P ortland O bserver
said they had just finished up a Heather Weitman, the resident and community services coordina
resident meal. Residents asked for tor for the Bud Clark Commons, conducts a screening o f a
ice trays, while other individuals potential resident for one o f the building's 130-studio units. The
NOW OPEN
were being assessed by the Home downtown housing complex, which celebrated its grand opening
Mon-Fri: 6:00am-6:00pm
Forward team to see if they could be on June 2, provides permanent housing for homeless individuals.
a future resident of a unit.
Accepting Children as early as 1 month -13 years old.
Although the complex has only “We have organized our wait list so the streets.
been opened for two-months, she it is organized by vulnerability, and
The progress and success of the
Accepting full or part time child care.
said half of the available units are not time and date,” Duke said.
operations of the commons has been
already being leased, with 128 indi
We don’t do all the assessments a team effort, Duke said.
For more information Contact:
viduals already moved in or in the ourselves, she said. “We have a
Inside the Connections day cen
Carrie Green: 503-384-2529
cue to soon make the building their relationship with four different clin ter facility run by Transitions, Inc.,
or Carrieg9@comcast.net
new home.
ics that work with people who are an independent non-profit agency
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