What's Happening in Portland, OR…

A list of 70 possible sites for “safe rest villages” in Portland was recently released by the office of City Commissioner Dan Ryan.

Earlier this year, the city announced it would construct six sanctioned campsites, with each site having a capacity of 50 openings. The campsites, serving as alternatives to the homeless population camping on sidewalks, will offer laundry, trash services, hygiene facilities and behavioral health resources, as well as case management.

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For its own use, the city has created a spreadsheet that lists a number of features for the ideal site. When evaluating, decision makers can see at a glance which sites have proximity to transportation, utility hookups, duration of availability, size, infrastructure capabilities, and any history of contamination.

Many of the 70 sites initially under consideration will be eliminated quickly due to their lack of the required infrastructure, such as the capacity to support hygiene facilities or being too distant from public transportation.

The list of possible sites varies substantially in regard to size, amenities and areas, and they are located in all five of the city’s quadrants. Every site is either managed or owned by a city bureau.

By the middle of August, it is expected that the possible locations will have been winnowed down to 10 or 15 sites. City Commissioner Ryan hopes to have the Safe Rest Villages opened by the end of 2021.