Year-Round Shelter
The City is leading with compassion to meet the needs of all members of our community by reducing homelessness through collaborative and proven solutions, including creating adequate options for year-round shelter with rapid pathways to housing.
To address the community's critical need for more shelter space and safe sleeping options, the City acquired property at the corner of SW 17th Avenue and TV Highway to create a future year-round shelter. The property currently includes ample greenspace, parking areas, and two vacant buildings.
As the Year-Round Shelter Project moves forward, the City of Hillsboro and community partners are working to reopen the temporary Safe Rest Pods on SW 17th Avenue. The site will provide safe sleeping spaces and support services on the property from December 2023 through late summer or fall 2024.
Progressive Design-Build Contract & Early Design Concept
The City is now pursuing a Progressive Design-Build Contract, which pairs construction contractors with an architect team to keep the project within budget based on real-time prices for labor and materials. We are currently evaluating contract proposals.
In early January 2023, we shared the shelter’s early design concept, which includes indoor congregate beds and individual shelter pods. The drafted design is expected to change as the design-build process evolves.
Funding Need
Due to rising costs, the City of Hillsboro is seeking state and federal funding to move forward with design and construction as currently planned.
Read our “Hillsboro’s Year-Round Shelter Project Moving Towards Next Steps” news article to learn more.
Engage with Us
We know you may have questions, and we are here to answer them - together.
Please ask us a question and take our survey to share your thoughts below!
The City is leading with compassion to meet the needs of all members of our community by reducing homelessness through collaborative and proven solutions, including creating adequate options for year-round shelter with rapid pathways to housing.
To address the community's critical need for more shelter space and safe sleeping options, the City acquired property at the corner of SW 17th Avenue and TV Highway to create a future year-round shelter. The property currently includes ample greenspace, parking areas, and two vacant buildings.
As the Year-Round Shelter Project moves forward, the City of Hillsboro and community partners are working to reopen the temporary Safe Rest Pods on SW 17th Avenue. The site will provide safe sleeping spaces and support services on the property from December 2023 through late summer or fall 2024.
Progressive Design-Build Contract & Early Design Concept
The City is now pursuing a Progressive Design-Build Contract, which pairs construction contractors with an architect team to keep the project within budget based on real-time prices for labor and materials. We are currently evaluating contract proposals.
In early January 2023, we shared the shelter’s early design concept, which includes indoor congregate beds and individual shelter pods. The drafted design is expected to change as the design-build process evolves.
Funding Need
Due to rising costs, the City of Hillsboro is seeking state and federal funding to move forward with design and construction as currently planned.
Read our “Hillsboro’s Year-Round Shelter Project Moving Towards Next Steps” news article to learn more.
Engage with Us
We know you may have questions, and we are here to answer them - together.
Please ask us a question and take our survey to share your thoughts below!
What questions do you have for us?
Please Note: Questions asked here may be published publicly along with their response from the City of Hillsboro. If you would like to ask your question privately, please visit the Who's Listening section of this page to find staff member contact information.
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What’s going to happen when people inside the sleeping facility start stealing from each other? Is it going to be the police to deal with that? Or will you have your own way to deal with the theft that will occur?
Dvmomof3 asked 10 months agoA 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.
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Where are the pods going to be moved to? Or are they not going ti be utilized anymore. Seems like a waste of funds for those.
Dvmomof3 asked 10 months agoThanks 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 17th 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.
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Why are the communications with surrounding neighborhoods, limited to 2000 ft or 1 mile? When neighborhoods 1.5-2 miles away, and further, in all directions; have been dealing with illegal camping, vandalism, thievery, and filth, by candidates of this shelter; for years now. Why are we expected to learn of any developments- secondhand?
Wendy asked 10 months agoThanks 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.
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What are their transportation options available, simply because they have to go shopping and what else they have to do? Are there bicycles they have access too or does a free bus have a regular route that stops at the camp?
Chris asked 12 months agoThanks 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.
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What provisions for housing are being made for the 2023-24 winter while the construction is being finished? Pods are being removed this spring--2023--and the new facilities not available until a year later as I understand the timeline. Hopefully the property owners to the north will not face another expensive cleanup after a year of illegal camping.
JP72 asked 11 months agoThanks 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.
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Considering the shelter for homeless men is adjacent to Winco's parking lot, is the city planning to patrol the lot for safety of elderly shoppers?
asked over 1 year agoThanks 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.
- 24/7 shelter staff will be onsite and will provide proactive support in the neighborhood near the shelter.
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May I gather a few people from various churches in the area to come do a prayer vigil on the property before you open? We just want to bless the efforts and pray for peace, goodness, joy, and such.
Megan Nixon asked over 1 year agoThanks 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.
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I have been told by a number of people that theft of food and goods from local grocery stores in horrendous, and that nothing is done to confront thieves walking out the door with loads of steaks and so on due to issues including covid, limited authority of security staff and so on.. I see Winco as becoming a target for massive theft. What can be done to provide some security to Winco.
jim martin asked over 1 year agoThank 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.
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Will the facility allow all-comers (drug and alcohol use on-site, unaccompanied minors, families, individuals with histories of violent or sexual assault offenses)? Will the administrative operators have a religious affiliation?
Jo asked over 1 year agoThank 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.
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Can you explain the rapid pathways to housing and the average time an individual will take to move through the program to housing stability? With 357 homeless individuals in 2021 and low capacity of shelters, city does not seem to be taking this crisis and negative public impact seriously.
mm asked over 1 year agoHello 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.
Level of Engagement
Work directly with community members to ensure that community feedback influences the process and outcomes or decisions |
Who's Listening
Stay Informed!
- Sign up to receive monthly email updates on our Homelessness Initiatives.
- Visit the City's Shelters webpage to learn more.
Key Dates
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January 28 2023
Timeline
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Winter 2021- Spring 2022
Year-Round Shelter has finished this stage- Preliminary scope and estimating
- Launch Shelters webpage
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Spring - Summer 2022
Year-Round Shelter has finished this stage- Begin development review process
Engagement
- Mailing to 1 Mile Radius
- Business walk-around
- Stakeholder Focus Groups
- Online Community Survey/Engage Page Launch
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Fall - Winter 2022
Year-Round Shelter has finished this stage- Architect Firm Selected through Request for Proposals Process
- Architect Design Kick-off
- Intergovernmental Agreement discussions begin with Washington County
- Temporary Safe Rest Pods Open
Engagement
- Initial Community Feedback Report published
- Continued updates to community
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Spring - Summer 2023
Year-Round Shelter has finished this stage- Safe Rest Pods Close
- Removal of Safe Rest Pods
- Federal & state funding request
Site visit with legislators & community partners
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Fall - Winter 2023-24
Year-Round Shelter is currently at this stage- City Council authorizes a design-build contract Request for Proposals
- Launch of design-build contract Request for Proposals
- Safe Rest Pods reopen
- Design-Build contractor selection
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Future Tasks & Activities
this is an upcoming stage for Year-Round Shelter- Design-Build Contract begins
- Completion of design/permitting
- Construction begins
- Completion of construction
- Occupancy begins
Engagement
- Close survey & share results
- Begin site operator selection
- Introduction of site operator to community
- Good Neighbor Agreement conversations
- Open House event
- Community volunteer opportunities
- Shelter tour