Creating and Locating New Shelters

House Bill 2006, passed by the Oregon legislature in 2021, authorizes local jurisdictions to site emergency shelters if certain conditions are met. The new law requires local governments to approve applications for emergency shelters regardless of state or local land use laws, if the application meets specific approval conditions outlined in the bill. Approval conditions include:

• Sleeping and restroom facilities,
• Meets applicable building codes,
• Located within an urban growth boundary or in a rural residential zone,
• Has adequate transportation access to commercial and medical services,
• Will not pose any unreasonable risk to public health or safety, and
• Will not result in a new building that is sited within an area designated under a statewide land use planning goal relating to natural disasters and hazards (e.g. flood plains or mapped environmental health hazards) unless the development complies with regulations directly related to the hazard.

Since the adoption of HB 2006, Washington County has used this legislation to site multiple shelters throughout the county.

The Community Guidelines for Equitably Siting Shelter include several conditions to determine whether a proposed location is appropriate for shelter. A location does not have to meet all conditions to be selected – rather, staff consider the combined priority needs. Considerations include:

• Logistical needs such as size of location, condition of property, utilities
• Access to frequent and reliable transportation
• Access to services, employment and community resources
• Geographic and demographic distribution
• Impact on local communities or sensitive public services such as schools, playgrounds, or public parks.

Community feedback is not sought for specific potential locations of future shelter programs. Until a shelter location is confirmed, there is no formal community engagement. This allows for real estate and landlord negotiations to be established and for staff to determine site viability.  

The Community Guidelines for Expanding Shelter Programswere created in 2022 and approved by the Board of Commissioners. The guidelines were the result of a lengthy community engagement process, including four community meetings and nearly 250 surveys.  Staff used the community feedback to establish themes, priorities and guidelines for shelter locations, program management and continued engagement.

There are a very limited number of available locations in Washington County that fit the established guidelines for new shelter locations.  When staff learn of a new possible location, a team is convened to gather information and consider the option, to ensure it meets the technical needs of the program, and the guidelines established with the community.  

No one location or program is going to provide everything needed to address this crisis. Providing multiple options with an “all hands-on deck” approach is crucial to addressing the housing crisis in a way that supports as many people as possible.

Washington County funds shelter programs managed by local operators – shelter locations that include services provided by a contracted partner.  Staff are on-site at all times and trained in trauma-informed care, safety and crisis de-escalation, housing navigation and employment support.  Because of safety concerns, Washington County does not fund programs that do not include staffing, such as unstaffed camping locations.

Washington County funds a variety of shelter program models, including congregate (shared living space) shelters, motel-type shelters, youth shelters and temporary pod shelters.  All shelter programs include restrooms, showers, trash disposal and security.

In short, no. Community feedback is not sought for specific potential locations of future shelter programs. This allows for real estate and landlord negotiations to be established and for staff to determine site viability. Current state legislation supports the “super-siting” of shelter programs to help increase urgently needed shelter capacity across the state, without having to go through a land use review process.

Once staff have determined that a location is viable for creating a new shelter and the property owner has agreed to site use, Washington County begins the community engagement process by notifying the community of the new shelter site and inviting interested neighbors to participate in community discussions. The engagement process is designed to acknowledge community concerns, identify solutions and establish a Neighborhood Plan.  The community is engaged to help contribute to program management expectations, neighborhood livability issues, and expectations for future communication.

The Washington County Community Engagement Spectrum includes four levels of community engagement: inform, consult, involve and collaborate.  The steps for community engagement in expanding shelter programs include each of these aspects:

1. Public notification (Inform) – Surrounding residences and businesses are notified of plans to locate a shelter at the site and of upcoming community engagement meetings.
2. Information & listening sessions (Inform, consult, and involve) – In-person or virtual meetings are held to introduce staff and partners to the neighborhood and gather feedback and concerns.
3. Workshop (Consult and involve) – Site partners, law enforcement, County staff and neighbors gather to begin forming a Neighborhood Plan (formerly called a Good Neighbor Agreement).
4. Draft feedback (Involve)– The draft Neighborhood Plan is shared, and a virtual meeting is held to focus on feedback or questions about the document.
5. Program launch (Inform)– Surrounding residences and businesses are again notified of the timeline for shelter operations to begin as well as the final Neighborhood Plan.
6. Continued engagement – An additional community engagement session is held 3-6 months after the shelter opens to gather feedback about implementation and any needed amendments.

A Supportive Neighborhood Plan establishes expectations between the shelter program operator, the landlord and the local community.  The plan is created collaboratively with extensive neighborhood input, and helps to establish mutual goals, safety and security expectations and address property maintenance issues.  The plan also includes a code of conduct for shelter program participants and expectations around communication between the County, the shelter program operator and neighbors.  Each plan is unique and is an opportunity for the local community to share their concerns and suggestions.

Community members are encouraged to attend community engagement opportunities when possible.  

For information specifically about pod style shelters visit here: wcor.us/PodVillageShelter.  

For information about emergency shelter, click here.