Joint Office of Homeless Services to Open Severe Weather Shelters

At  3:21 p.m. on Feb. 4, the Joint Office of Homeless Services has determined that the growing threat of accumulating snow, now expected at at least an inch at the lowest elevations, will trigger thresholds for declaring a severe weather response. That means the Cold Weather Alert will be replaced with a severe weather alert, with severe weather beds opening throughout the community. 

Transition Projects will open severe weather shelters tonight at Bud Clark Commons, 655 NW Hoyt, in Portland and Sunrise Center, 18901 E Burnside, in Gresham. Bud Clark Commons and Sunrise Center will be open to adults, couples and families and their pets from 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4, to 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5. In addition, overflow capacity throughout the shelter system will remain activated.

Imago Dei, in the central eastside, will NOT open tonight.

Severe weather shelters do not require identification or any other documentation. No one seeking shelter during severe weather will be turned away. 

During severe weather, no one seeking shelter will be turned away. Anyone in need of shelter should call 211 or visit http://211info.org/ to access a bed and obtain transportation to that bed if needed.  

Please donate winter gear

Providers are also strongly urging donations of winter gear. After a stretch of milder weather this winter, many neighbors sleeping without shelter still don't have all the gear they’ll need during a cold spell to stay warm.

Please visit 211info.org/donations to see a specific list of winter gear and where it can be dropped off. Providers also have an online shopping list to make donating more convenient. Items ordered online can be delivered directly to JOIN, 1435 NE 81st Ave., Suite 100, Portland, OR, 97213

The following items are needed:

● Thick socks

● Waterproof/resistant gloves or mittens (preferably dark colors/black)

● Waterproof/resistant winter coats (men’s and women’s sizes)

● Sleeping bags and warm blankets

● Waterproof/resistant hats (preferably dark colors/black)

● Knit hats (preferably dark colors/black)

● Tarps (preferably brown, dark colors)

● Hand warmers

● Rain ponchos

Please keep in mind: Some items, like home-cooked food, present health challenges around illnesses, allergies and germs — even from the most well-meaning donors — and can’t be accepted. In addition, volunteers and others working at shelter sites won’t have the capacity to track, clean and return food containers, flatware and other items left at shelter sites.

How to help neighbors in distress

If you see someone outside unsheltered whose life appears to be in danger or is in an apparent medical crisis, call 911. Otherwise, if you see someone about whom you are concerned, such as not being dressed for the weather conditions, call police non-emergency (503) 823-3333 and request a welfare check for that person.

To help someone find shelter and arrange transportation to shelter, please call 211.

Multnomah County offers mental health crisis resources, at any hour, for anyone experiencing a crisis. Mental health clinicians can provide direct phone assistance to individuals experiencing a mental-health crisis including: escalated symptoms of agitation, anxiety, depression, psychosis, dangerous to self or others, substance use, etc. Call (503) 988-4888 or visit the Multnomah County Mental Health Crisis Intervention website for more information.

Multnomah County will continue to update information on severe weather and shelters at https://multco.us/winter-weather/warming-shelters-and-homelessness.