Multnomah Safe Rest Village
The Multnomah Neighborhood Association is providing this web page to share timely, accurate information about the Safe Rest Village for houseless residents that is in our neighborhood. New information is added on a regular basis.
Under Construction
Sorry for the dust! Stay with us while we work to get the MNA site up and running.
Old archived SRV page is here.
Links & Resources:
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Rescue Plan Funded Culturally Specific and Safe Rest Villages
This dashboard reports on the program outcomes for the Safe Rest Village program, a partnership between the City of Portland, Multnomah County’s Joint Office of Homeless Services, and various shelter operators. The program is funded by a portion of Portland’s federal grant from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Data will be updated each quarter. Please submit questions and inquiries to saferestvillages@portlandoregon.gov.
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Safe Rest Villages are outdoor shelters that serve as an alternative entry for Portlanders on the continuum from living on the streets to finding stability.
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“All Good Northwest is happy to announce that MSRV is under the skilled leadership of a new Program Manager and many volunteers have already had the pleasure of getting to know our new PM. The Multnomah Safe Rest Village provided 2224 safe bed nights of shelter to its participants over the past quarter which is a tremendous marker given the cold weather the village has endured.
We deeply appreciate Friends of MSRV’s new Sandwich Wednesdays Campaign. Participants have already enjoyed delicious and healthy sandwiches delivered by members of the community! We would also like to invite everyone to attend our upcoming Resilience & Hope Benefit on June 23rd, 2023. Proceeds from the event will support our shelter programs and participants. Visit allgoodnw.org for details.”
from Devon Hoyt, Asst. Director of Communications & Development for All Good Northwest
Activity in areas away from the SRV continues, but the number of homeless camps right around the SRV — within 1,000 feet and along transit routes — are still very few. See the Impact Reduction section of Latest Developments below for more on how to deal most effectively with those using Impact Reduction.
The SRV staff reports that neighbor complaints are still almost nonexistent, which echoes our impression. We will be doing a more systematic collection of reliable information when the Good Neighbor Agreement starts.
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Latest: Abrogation process is underway, but a bit behind schedule. GSA just sent the scope of work that was due February 25 per GSA’s Jan. 25 letter. For background on the deed restrictions, click here or come to our next meeting.
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Status: We are still waiting for final other parties to sign off on the GNA. More at our next general meeting. If status changes, we will notify the neighborhood ASAP. Meanwhile, the Citizen Advisory Committee for the GNA has been formed and is meeting regularly to discuss progress in operation of the SRV.
BACKGROUND
Over a year ago, MNA formed a SRV Working Group of 12 neighbors, co-chaired by Peter Samson and Frank Rudloff, to represent MNA’s interests in the development, with other neighborhood stakeholders, of an effective Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) with the City of Portland as the City develops a Safe Rest Village at the Sears site. Come to the next general meeting to learn more about the group’s current status.
At the May 10, 2022 general meeting the membership OKed our draft GNA for starting negotiations with the city. Vote was overwhelmingly positive — 66 yes, 3 no — but with concerns that the city will reject or water down key elements like specified criminal checks, a 1,000-foot no-camping zone, and a standing neighborhood advisory group.
A joint team from MNA and the West Hills Christian School is negotiating with the city and county on the negotiated GNA to be presented to the membership to approve or reject. There is no timeline yet on when a GNA will be finished, but the Safe Rest Village has been operating for nearly a year without a GNA so we hope the GNA will be done soon.
All Good NW (AGNW) details on Multnomah (Sears) Village: Detailed info about rules and limits on resident behavior
County contract requirements:
AGNW Contract with Multnomah County for 2021 through August 31, 2024
AGNW Contract Program Instructions for 2022-23 including Multnomah SRV
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NOTE: Multnomah Neighborhood Association takes positions only after a vote of members at a general membership meeting which is open to all. Positions may be modified at later meetings as we learn more about a topic.
December 14, 2021: two motions were passed
1. Request the city to fund the Sears Westside Emergency Response Center. — Passed 44 yes 19 no.
2. Request the city to do a Type III Land Use Review on the Safe Rest Village Project. — Passed 48 yes 11 no.
January 11, 2022: a third motion was passed, but rescinded at our February meeting.
3. Request the city to allocate funding for the Sears SRV to the Bybee Lakes Hope Center instead — Passed 14 yes 13 no.
February 8, 2022: three motions were presented, after new information from the SRV Forum:
4. Participate in creating a Good Neighbor Agreement — Passed 72 yes 26 no 1 abstained.
5. Rescind the move of funding for the Sears SRV to Bybee Lakes Hope Center — Passed 41-19-2.
6. Rescind funding West Side Emergency Response Center from 2 ordinances — Tabled 44-4-1.
May 10, 2022: a motion to continue the GNA process passed
7. Continue GNA process — Passed 66-3
To see the text of a motion, click on the text name
All meeting materials, including motion texts and videos, are now on the Meetings page.
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