Cornell Road Recovery

It is important to know that camping outside of or near the shelter is not allowed and will be enforced by shelter operators, County staff and law enforcement in alignment with Washington County’s Time, Place, Manner Policy. This policy prohibits camping near homeless services facilities.

If you see someone in your neighborhood who may need housing help, you can visit showtheway.org. Scroll to the bottom, select “Request or Find Help,” and click “Citizen Request.” An outreach worker will be sent to connect with the person or family living unsheltered: whether in a car, RV or tent. Outreach workers build trust and help people access services like shelter, behavioral health care, treatment and housing programs.

Each County transitional housing site selects an on-site service provider through a competitive process. The service provider, Helping Hands, uses 24/7 staffing to monitor cleanliness and safety, often including perimeter fencing and security cameras.

Service providers work closely with local law enforcement to address safety and livability concerns. All participants staying in the program must sign a Participant Agreement (or Code of Conduct), which prohibits drugs and alcohol and sets behavior expectations on and around the site. Participants who break the Participant Agreement (or Code of Conduct) will lose their place at the homeless services facility.

Camping near the facility is not allowed and will be enforced by Helping Hands, County staff, and law enforcement in alignment with Washington County’s Time, Place, Manner Policy. This policy prohibits camping near homeless services facilities.

Together, these measures have been effective at other shelters across Washington County.

As always, all criminal activity should be reported to law enforcement officials, by calling 9-1-1 in emergency situations, or 503-629-0111 in non-emergency situations.

Washington County does not require rental screenings or background checks for participants to access shelters or future transitional housing programs. However, shelter residents are required to follow a Code of Conduct (also referred to as Participant Agreement), which prohibits drugs and alcohol and sets behavior expectations on and around the site.

We use a “low-barrier” approach, which means people can access shelter, housing and services without jumping through extra hoops. This best practice helps remove obstacles and makes it easier for people to get off the streets, reducing homelessness in our community.

Shelter operators also work with the neighboring communities through a Neighborhood Plan, called a Good Neighbor Agreement, to make sure the shelter is a positive presence and respectful of the surrounding community.

Washington County is home to many schools, which means most potential shelter or transitional housing sites will likely be near one (see map of schools in Washington County below). When choosing locations, we follow shelter siting guidelines and look for availability along with access to public transportation, grocery stores, and job opportunities, resources that help shelter residents succeed, all while staying within our limited budget.

While there are no state rules about how close shelters can be to schools, we carefully consider the impact on the surrounding community, including schools, playgrounds, traffic and parks. We also communicate directly with local school districts and invite them to be part of the engagement process.

We are committed to safety and transparency, and we will work closely with schools and neighbors to ensure shelters are a well-maintained, positive addition to the community.

Finding shelter sites is a lot like finding a home; properties are limited and competitive. To keep the County on a level playing field with private players in the real estate market, to stay flexible and to act quickly, the County completes reviews and negotiations before reaching out to the community. Oregon law allows this approach, so local governments can respond faster to urgent housing needs.

Once a site is secured, we begin community engagement right away. Neighbors are notified and invited to join conversations about the new shelter. These discussions focus on listening to concerns, finding solutions and creating agreements that support both the shelter and the neighborhood.

Community input helps shape expectations, address livability issues and set up clear communication for the future. The shelter does not open until this engagement process is complete.