Multnomah County approves Harrison Community Village project plan with conditions after neighborhood concerns

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a FAC‑1 project plan to construct the Harrison Community Village, an alternative shelter at 1818 SE 80 Second that will include 38 sleeping pods and on‑site services, but the board adopted an amendment requiring the county and partners to secure a signed good‑neighbor agreement with provider commitments and to work with Portland Public Schools and the Portland Bureau of Transportation on a safe‑routes‑to‑school plan before the site opens.

The vote followed more than an hour of presentations by Joint Office of Homeless Services staff and extensive public testimony from nearby residents, school parents and neighborhood association leaders. Commissioner Lori Stegman moved the underlying resolution and Commissioner Myron seconded. Commissioner Bridal Edwards moved the amendment; Commissioner Myron seconded the amendment, which passed. In the final roll call on the project plan, the board adopted the measure; the record shows one commissioner voting no and the rest voting in favor.

The county described the site as a low‑barrier shelter intended to provide safety off the streets and wraparound services. Anna Plumb, deputy director of the Homeless Services Department, told the board that “low barrier does not mean no accountability. Low barrier shelter sites have policies and procedures, they have expectations for their guests, and they have agreements with the community.” Dan Field, director at the Joint Office of Homeless Services, and construction manager Austin Vanett reviewed site plans and timelines.

Planned site features include 38 modular sleeping pods (one bed per pod), eight ADA‑accessible units, fenced perimeter with privacy screening along the street, modular support buildings for bathrooms, showers, laundry and offices, and outdoor pet and covered gathering areas. Austin Vanett said the project budget is roughly $4.1 million; construction on the site is anticipated to begin midyear with a targeted completion in December 2025. The county reported a major portion of funding comes from a Safety Off the Streets emergency shelter investment (identified in the presentation as approximately $3,030,208). The county said the pods and modular elements are reusable and can be repurposed elsewhere in the future.

Neighborhood speakers urged more time and stronger commitments. Laura Mulligan, vice president of the Montevilla Neighborhood Association, urged the board to delay approval until the county had more community engagement and a chance to learn from the opening of a nearby Oak Street Village. Mulligan said the December 5 community meeting was “narrowed to site design” and that neighbors and nearby schools had not been adequately consulted. Parent Melanie Bobbitt told commissioners she was “a student at Bridger Elementary School” and that she opposed locating a low‑barrier shelter within a couple blocks of her child’s school; she said nonbinding good‑neighbor language did not assuage her safety concerns.

Supporters of the project said shelter capacity matters and that villages like this can reduce the hazards of unsheltered living. Sarah Fisher, an Episcopal priest and street chaplain, told the board: “Villages like the proposed Harrison Street Village will only make things better for all residents of Montevilla, those with roofs over their heads and those without.” She urged the board to act with “urgency, courage and heart.”

County staff described ongoing and planned community engagement: canvassing and a mailer within a quarter‑mile radius, a December community meeting that attracted roughly 60 attendees, and follow‑up Q&A material posted to the project webpage. Zach Curl, the Joint Office’s community engagement lead, said the county will pursue a good‑neighbor agreement and assemble a community advisory committee to monitor impacts, similar to agreements created for Oak Street Village. Staff also said they are coordinating with Portland Public Schools and the Portland Bureau of Transportation on safe walking routes and potential sidewalk improvements near the site.

The board amendment carried specific procedural conditions. Commissioner Bridal Edwards’ amendment requires that, prior to site opening, the county and designated partners — including neighborhood and business associations and Portland Public Schools representatives — will negotiate and use their best efforts to secure a signed good‑neighbor agreement that includes provider commitments; and that the county will work with PBOT and PPS to establish and implement a safe‑routes‑to‑school plan and to hear and address school community concerns.

Commissioners and staff acknowledged remaining questions: the county has not yet selected an operator for shelter services, and staff said provider commitments and specific operating protocols will be part of the good‑neighbor agreement and provider selection process. The Joint Office said provider commitments and specific operational details will be available once a provider is selected and that the county will post engagement timelines and updates on the project website.

The board’s approval authorizes the project plan to proceed to construction documents and permitting; staff said permits were expected in spring and a contractor selection in midyear. The amendment requires a signed good‑neighbor agreement and safe‑routes plan before any opening.

The project team asked for and received approval of the FAC‑1 plan to proceed; several board members said they expect continued engagement and monitoring as design is finalized and a provider is selected.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the FAC‑1 resolution; an amendment adding good‑neighbor and safe‑routes conditions passed before final approval.