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Decemeber 8, 2021
Severe Weather Shelters Readied
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fice of Homeless Services that pairs heated
sleeping pods outside with a traditional in-
door sleeping space, allowing the facility
to expand the number of people it serves.
“With the pods in the parking lot and
the beds inside, we’re going to be serving
more of our unhoused neighbors this win-
ter starting today because of this site,” said
Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek, whose
district includes the Arbor Lodge shelter.
“Because lots of people over the last cou-
ple of months have worked very hard to
make this happen. Because none of us want
to see our neighbors living on the streets.”
As many as five locations will be im-
mediately ready to open on nights when
severe weather thresholds are met, offer-
ing roughly 250 beds while also ensuring
physical distancing and COVID-19 proto-
cols. Secondary locations with hundreds
more beds are ready to open should those
initial sites fill, official said.
The Joint Office declares severe
weather on any night when temperatures
are forecast to drop below 25 degrees,
or on any night when the forecast shows
freezing conditions and heavy rain or
snow.
On those nights, no one seeking shel-
ter will be turned away. 211 will share
alerts about shelter locations and hours.
Street outreach teams will work to reach
people in need with gear and information
about shelters. Anyone seeking a ride to
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Multnomah County purchased the Arbor Lodge shelter site, a former Rite Aid, with
one-time COVID-19 funding last year. But this year, thanks to funding from the state,
the Joint Office of Homeless Services will operate Arbor Lodge as a 24/7 winter
shelter for the next several months while it works to design and construct a long-
term shelter on the site starting next fall.
shelter can also call 211 and have trans-
portation arranged.
Unlike severe weather-only beds, winter
shelter beds are open day after day, no mat-
ter the forecast, from November/December
through April. Just like with year-round
shelters, winter shelters are available only
through reservations. Anyone interested in
accessing shelter should contact 211.
Two of the seasonal shelters, the Wal-
nut Park Shelter and the Downtown Winter
Shelter, have been operating nonstop since
last winter, thanks to COVID-19 funding
and other local funding. Both have been
able to continue providing space through-
out the COVID-19 pandemic.
Multnomah County purchased the Ar-
bor Lodge site, a former Rite Aid, with
one-time COVID-19 funding last year. The
Joint Office and County previously oper-
ated Arbor Lodge as an emergency shelter
during snowstorms and heatwaves.
But this year, thanks to funding from the
state, the Joint Office will operate Arbor
Lodge as a 24/7 winter shelter for the next
several months while it works to design
and construct a long-term shelter on the
site starting next fall.
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