Committee asks staff to return with options for warming and cooling shelter plans

Portland committee members on Feb. 11 asked city emergency management and housing staff to develop options for improving warming and cooling shelter capacity and shelter coordination, and to return to the committee with recommendations in time for spring budget planning.

Committee members raised concerns about the city’s ad hoc responses to extreme weather events, the availability of partner sites and the difficulty of relying solely on community organizations that sometimes cannot open during critical events. Councilors said the city should consider a range of options—from a no‑cost coordination role to funded facility options including potential municipal or partner‑operated shelters or day‑space arrangements—and assess costs, operational challenges and gaps.

Katie Hager, the city’s emergency management coordinator, and Assistant City Manager Greg Jordan were present. Staff said they would gather models from other northern‑climate cities, identify the range of facility and staffing options, and put forward a menu of low‑, medium‑ and high‑cost approaches. Councilors asked staff to be candid about barriers to running a municipal shelter, including staffing, liability and partner availability.

Committee members requested a timeline that would allow any budget implications to be considered in the FY26 process and asked staff to return with options in the spring (committee chair suggested April). Members also suggested exploring regional collaboration with nearby municipalities and the Greater Portland Council of Governments as part of the analysis.

No formal action or commitments to new spending were made at the meeting; staff will return with a structured set of options for committee review.