Year-Round Shelter

A non-profit shelter operator will be selected to contract with Washington County to provide day to day staffing and operations of this facility once it is opened. This operator will be responsible for managing any conflict that arises within the facility and setting/enforcing program rules and standards. Law enforcement becomes involved if/when a violation of the law occurs. Shelter operators work closely and collaboratively with law enforcement partners whenever needed to support the safety of shelter staff, participants, and the neighborhood.

Thanks for reaching out. The Safe Rest Pod structures currently in use at this site are owned by Washington County. When the temporary Safe Rest Pods on SW 17^th Ave site concludes, Washington County will be removing these pod structures for use at another site within Washington County. The location of a future site for the pods has not yet been identified, but sites are being considered.

Thanks for reaching out.  A one-mile radius around a proposed shelter  was found to be the most preferred distance for informing neighbors when the City of Hillsboro conducted a community survey on homelessness in October of 2021, prior to launching engagement for this site. Results of this survey can be seen on our Homelessness Initiatives Page. The mailed flyer to addresses within a one-mile radius was just the first step of engagement for this project. Creation and promotion of this page to keep the entire community informed was also launched, as well as use of print, email, and social media communication channels city wide. 

In addition, a Good Neighbor Agreement will be in place prior to the opening of this facility. These agreements work to enhance neighborhood safety and livability while promoting access to services as well as fostering positive relationships between the shelter opertor, shelter participants, and neighbors. Community input gathered through three focus groups held in June 2022 and through the survey on this page will inform and refine the future Good Neighbor Agreement.

 We invite you to take the survey on this page to share your thoughts.

Thanks for this question. This site is very near to a frequently serviced bus line that will be accesible to persons accessing the shelter. In addition, there are walkable shopping and employment opportunities in the neighborhood. 

Thanks for reaching out. Washington County will continue to operate seasonal winter shelter, which operates from November to May, in the winter of 2023-2024. This will provide winter shelter options while year-round shelter projects are being completed. You can read more about the current winter shelter system on Washington County’s Winter Shelters page.

Thanks for reaching out with this question.

The Year-Round Shelter Project will serve adults and couples experiencing homelessness — it will not be a men’s-only shelter.

We have a variety of safety measures in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of nearby residents and businesses:

• 24/7 shelter staff will be onsite and will provide proactive support in the neighborhood near the shelter.
  
  
• Hillsboro Police Department’s Bike Patrol team will provide street level support to the area.
  
  
• A Good Neighbor Agreement will serve as a guide for how shelter guests and staff can work together with nearby residents and businesses to enhance neighborhood safety. The Agreement will set clear expectations and processes for resolving problems that may arise. Community input gathered through three focus groups held in June 2022 and through the survey will inform and refine the future Good Neighbor Agreement.

 We invite you to take the survey on this page to share your thoughts.

Thanks for reaching out and for your desire to support this project! We welcome support from faith groups and other organizations or individuals around the city. For the Year-Round Shelter Project, we are working with Washington County to determine what pre-opening events, such as an open house or shelter tours, may be planned. We will announce those events on this Engage Hillsboro page, so please follow this project to stay in the loop. If a pre-opening event is planned for the public, your group would be welcome to attend.

Thank you for reaching out with this question. While many details about future year-round shelter programming are still being developed, several neighborhood supports will be available.

24/7 shelter staff will be onsite to provide proactive support in the immediate vicinity of the shelter. Neighboring businesses and residents will be able to contact shelter staff directly if concerns related to the shelter arise.

Hillsboro Police Department’s Bike Patrol team will provide additional street level support to the area and Police and Parks & Recreation are partnering  to increase patrols in Dairy Creek Park.

Hillsboro’s Economic Development Department’s Storefront, Security and Lighting Improvement Grant is matching funds to help local businesses install exterior security cameras and lighting.

Community input will inform and refine a future Good Neighbor Agreement and other aspects of the year-round shelter. In partnership with Washington County, the City collected input through three focus groups in June 2022 and continue to receive feedback through the Year-Round Shelter Survey. We welcome you to share your thoughts by taking the survey.

Thank you for your questions. The year-round shelter will serve individuals and couples. Families and unaccompanied minors will not be sheltered on the site. Organizations with an expertise in serving these particular populations operate other shelters that cater to the specific needs of those groups.

A site operator has not yet been selected. The City of Hillsboro and Washington County are currently collecting community input to inform the selection of a nonprofit organization who will be contracted with Washington County to operate the site. We collected feedback through three focus groups in June and continue to receive input through the Year-Round Shelter Survey. Please complete the survey to share your thoughts.

The future year-round shelter needs to welcome, be accessible, and meet the needs of people who are living unsheltered while also operating with behavioral expectations that promote safety of staff, guests, and neighbors.

Hello and thank you for reaching out!

For the Year-Round Shelter Project, the City’s is acting as the site owner. Washington County will fund operations and wrap-around housing and support services through their Supportive Housing Services (SHS) program and system of care.

Exits to permanent housing and reducing the length of time someone spends unhoused are key project goals. The rapid pathways to housing described above include medium and long-term supportive housing options paired with Housing Navigation services to help each individual obtain and maintain housing.

Washington County’s SHS program just ended its first year and will change and expand rapidly in the coming years, so it is too early to provide an expected average length of stay from shelter to housing for this project. Read Washington County’s quarterly report for the latest SHS outcomes data.

In response to the local housing crisis and lack of shelter, the City has led a number of shelter projects over the past few years, including COVID 19 response shelters and the Wood Street Camp project. However, the locations of these shelter projects were only temporarily available or feasible.

Now, the new ongoing SHS funding source for shelter operations and housing has created an opportunity for the City to acquire a project site with confidence that a year-round shelter with housing and support services will be funded on an ongoing basis to meet the community’s critical need.

Visit our Homelessness Initiatives webpage to learn more about the City’s current and past work, including our support for outreach and day center programming.