Our Priorities

OUR PRIORITIES

Shelter Now educates, advocates, and acts to ensure our region increases and expands alternative shelter options NOW that center the diverse needs and interests of people experiencing houselessness. Below are Shelter Now’s current priority initiatives. 

• Lived Experience Council of Multnomah County:  We are supporting the development of an independent council made up of and led 100% by people with lived experience – advocating for the needs and the dreams of the houseless community and creating a sense of self-identity, potential power, and hope.

• Built for Zero:  We promote, educate, and hold accountable for progress on implementation of Built for Zero. This system for disciplined action and continuous improvement will ensure the effective use of public funds to end unsheltered houselessness.

• Alternative Shelter Network:  We actively support this network of alternative shelter designers, builders, operators, and related service providers to convene and share knowledge and resources to strengthen quality, increase efficiency, reduce costs, and expand the number of shelter options within our community.

• Advocacy:  We engage policymakers, government staff, service providers, people with lived experience, the faith and business communities to ensure adequate resources and effective implementation of alternative shelter options. Among other projects:

  • City and County Budgets 

  • Safe Rest Villages 

  • Metro Supportive Housing Services

  • Portland’s 2022 Five Resolution Plan

Barbie Weber, talks about the community library, which is stocked by Street Books, at Hazelnut Grove Village. Barbie is also Cofounder and Coordinator of Ground Score, a peer-led association that creates fair-wage work opportunities for unhoused or housing insecure community members to collect and sort recyclables and trash. Photo credit: Sean Green