PORTLAND, Ore. — When it comes to addressing homelessness, the city of Vancouver seems to be finding success through an ambitious project to help people transitioning into a temporary home.
Safe Stay communities are sites that offer temporary housing with greater access to services. The city of Vancouver says the sites increase stability and provide safe, healthy and humane conditions.
The first Safe Stay site opened 18 months ago, followed by a second. Now the city is getting ready to open a third this summer and a fourth site has already been proposed.
“These sites were created to create an alternative to sleeping in a tent or sleeping in a vehicle while people are transitioning out of homelessness, whatever that looks like to them," said Jamie Spinelli, Vancouver's homeless response manager.
Each site has 20 shelter units, office space, and communal kitchen and meeting spaces.
Courtney Ligman lives at the first Safe Stay site, known as the Outpost. The site was previously home to a large homeless encampment.
“It’s given me a safe space to actually be able to stay, and be able to find work and go to school, which I didn’t think was possible while you’re still technically homeless," Ligman said. "But without the support of that place to help watch my dog while I go to school and everything, it wouldn’t be possible. Something you can’t do from a tent.”
As of May, the Safe Rest sites have helped 58 people transition into permanent housing, according to Spinelli. She said, on average, each site will cost roughly $1 million each year. Funding for them comes from Vancouver's Affordable Housing Sales Tax and construction costs come from the city's Affordable Housing Fund.
Spinelli said support from Vancouver City Council has played a big factor in the project's success.
“Collectively, the city agrees we have to do something about (homelessness), so we’ve been able to move forward and do so," Spinelli said.
She added that the first two Safe Stay locations were built on city-owned property, which made the process easier and faster.
Do Good Multnomah will provide services to the fourth Safe Stay community
“I think it offers such an incredible resource to the community. Not just to the city, but really honing in on to the neighborhood itself," said Daniel Havanas, the CEO of Do Good Multnomah. "So this village will serve the folks that live nearby, so that’s huge and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Below is a list of each Safe Rest community and their locations:
- The Outpost: 11400 NE 51st Circle
- Hope Village: 4915 East Fourth Plain Boulevard
- 415 West (set to open this summer): 415 West 11th Street
- Fourth proposed site: 4611 Main Street
The proposed location of the fourth community is on property owned by Washington State Department of Transportation. The lease agreement is expected to go before Vancouver City Council on Monday, June 26.
Straight Talk airs Friday at 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m.