Hillsboro Year-Round Shelter Celebrates Groundbreaking

EVENT DETAILS: 4 to 5 pm on Monday, March 3, at 311 SW 17th Avenue, Hillsboro

HILLSBORO, Ore. – Elected leaders from the City of Hillsboro, Washington County and Metro are gathering today to mark the groundbreaking of the future Hillsboro year-round shelter. The shelter will provide space for 75 guests, as well as onsite meals, hygiene & laundry facilities, and housing navigation resources on a 24/7, 365-day basis. To meet diverse needs, the shelter will offer 35 indoor congregate sleeping areas & 40 individual shelter pods and further reduce barriers by allowing pets.

The City of Hillsboro, Washington County and Metro are collaborating on proven solutions to reduce the impacts of homelessness, including increasing shelter capacity to meet the critical need for safe sleeping options.

“In Washington County, we lead with collaboration and compassion to make our community a better place for everyone,” said Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington, “I am honored to celebrate this milestone with our regional partners and, most importantly, I am thinking of the hundreds of people that will stay in this shelter on their journey to housing stability.”

“The City of Hillsboro is committed to supporting efforts that provide compassionate care and pathways to housing while also addressing the impacts of homelessness on businesses and our community,” said Mayor Beach Pace. “We are grateful to have support from Washington County and Metro as we make this investment to meet immediate needs and foster long-term change.”

“Since we began taking a regional approach to addressing homelessness with the supportive housing services measure, we’ve been meeting needs in communities that weren’t being served 4 years ago,” Metro Councilor Juan Carlos González said. “That includes bringing Hillsboro its first year-round shelter for adults, where guests will not only gain reprieve from the streets, but the basic services that afford dignity and meaningful pathways to housing stability.”

The shelter project is made possible thanks to $17 million in funding, including contributions from the City of Hillsboro, state and federal funding, and $8.3 million from the voter-approved Metro Supportive Housing Services measure allocated through Washington County. Ongoing operations will also be funded by the Washington County allocation of the Supportive Housing Services measure.

The City of Hillsboro purchased the property on SW 17th Avenue in 2021 with the goal of a building a future year-round shelter for adults experiencing homelessness. The property is located near an established business area, with nearby public transportation, and is within walking distance to groceries and employment opportunities. The shelter’s design architecture, and amenities have been informed by community engagement through stakeholder focus groups and a community-wide survey.

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ABOUT WASHINGTON COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING SERVICES:

The Department of Housing Services creates pathways out of homelessness, promotes housing stability, and invests in affordable communities for Washington County and our residents. The Washington County Department of Housing Services serves our community through rental assistance, affordable housing opportunities, and coordination of services for people experiencing homelessness. The Department is a unique organization focused on the full continuum of housing stability—from street outreach and shelter access to long-term rent assistance and affordable housing. We administer rental housing and rental assistance to more than 7,000 households across Washington County. We also support a comprehensive system of care that meets the needs of people experiencing homelessness and connects them with immediate shelter and housing services.

ABOUT THE CITY OF HILLSBORO: Hillsboro is one of Oregon’s most diverse and dynamic cities, with a steadily growing population of more than 110,000 residents. During the workday, more than 50,000 employees commute to Hillsboro by car, bicycle, bus, or light rail train to work at companies such as Intel, Nike, and Genentech. Hillsboro is the largest city in Washington County and serves as the county seat. Known as the “high-tech hub of Oregon” or the “tallest tree in the silicon forest,” Hillsboro has some of the best land, power, and water resources in the country. With its thriving economy, Hillsboro is the home of Oregon’s fourth-largest school district, two higher-education campuses, more than 30 parks, and more than 1,500 acres of designated green spaces, including Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve and the Orenco Woods Nature Park.

ABOUT METRO HOUSING DEPARTMENT: Metro is working to create new affordable housing and to reduce homelessness through the oversight of two measures: In 2018, voters in greater Portland approved the affordable housing bond to generate $652.8 million to create homes for approximately 12,000 people, and in May 2020, voters approved a supportive housing services fund to expand services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Metro collaborates with local cities and counties to implement these local solutions.