The City of Hillsboro, Washington County, and Open Door HousingWorks are reopening the Safe Rest Pods on SW 17th Avenue in response to critical need.
Assembly of new Pallet Shelter pods is underway, and a new fence is almost complete.
Starting in December and continuing through late summer or fall 2024, the reopened emergency shelter site will feature:
- New Pallet Shelters, upgraded with electricity to provide heating & cooling
- Capacity for 30 to 40 individuals and couples, with pets allowed
- 24/7 onsite staff and support services
- Communal dining & gathering spaces, showers, restrooms, and trash service
- Emergency beds for first responder referrals
The Safe Rest Pods will provide temporary emergency shelter and offer mental health, housing, and employment support to help connect guests to stable housing in the future.
A neighborhood support plan — based on lessons learns from the first round of Safe Rest Pods — will be put in place.
The City purchased the property at SW 17th Avenue to become the future home of a year-round emergency shelter. While the Year-Round Shelter Project moves forward, the City is utilizing the property to meet urgent shelter needs.
The first round of Safe Rest Pods on SW 17th Avenue opened in October 2022 to operate for a short duration. The site closed in June 2023, and the Conestoga Huts were moved to Cornelius, where they are still in use.
Now that the Year-Round Shelter Project timeline has been extended, there is once again an opportunity to provide emergency shelter at the SW 17th Avenue site.
Source: City of Hillsboro