Portland, Oregon, features various homeless shelters and emergency housing initiatives managed by regional non-profit organizations and Multnomah County Homeless Services. Options range from traditional congregate shelters for adults to low-barrier navigation centers and outdoor micro-shelter villages.
To check for immediate, real-time shelter bed availability, obtain information on resources, or learn how to make a reservation, individuals should call 211 or visit the 211info website.
Low-Barrier and General Shelters for Adults
These centers prioritize minimizing admission restrictions to make beds as accessible as possible, often providing support to individuals and couples of all genders.
River District Navigation Center
The River District Navigation Center (RDNC) is a low-barrier, 24/7 emergency shelter for adults located in Portland’s Pearl District; it is overseen by the City of Portland and operated on-site by the organization Transition Projects. The center offers 90 beds in a congregate shelter setting, along with intensive housing navigation services, peer support, and healthcare.
Services and Amenities
Capacity: 90 indoor beds for adult men, women, and couples (ages 18+).
Target Population: Prioritizes vulnerable adults aged 55 and older, individuals with disabilities, and military veterans.
Amenities: On-site meals, laundry facilities, personal storage space, restrooms, and hot showers.
Pet Policy: House-trained pets (those that relieve themselves in appropriate areas) are permitted, provided that owners assume full responsibility for their feeding and grooming.
Access to Medical Care: The facility features an on-site medical clinic, operated in coordination with the organization Central City Concern.
Admission and Referral Requirements
Access to this center is strictly by reservation or referral. Direct services are not provided on a walk-in basis, nor is queuing outdoors permitted at the shelter’s physical location.
Online Preliminary Assessment: Complete the preliminary assessment form for access to Transition Projects shelters online.
In-person Intake: Visit the Transition Projects Resource Center, located at a standalone site at 650 NW Irving Street, Portland, OR 97209 (open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).
Phone Intake: Call the main resource line at 503-280-4700 or dial 211 to check for county-wide bed availability.
Arbor Lodge Shelter
The Arbor Lodge Shelter is a purpose-built, permanent emergency shelter facility for adults—available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—located in North Portland. Operated on-site by Do Good Multnomah in partnership with Multnomah County, it offers a trauma-informed environment designed specifically for individuals transitioning out of homelessness.
The facility is located at 1954 N Lombard St, Portland, OR 97217.
Capacity and Structure
The shelter offers a combined total of 106 beds with 24-hour service, divided into two distinct configurations:
Communal Area Beds (88 beds): Open to single adults and adult couples of all genders.
Village-style Pods (18 micro-shelters): An alternative outdoor micro-shelter section, reserved specifically for women and non-binary individuals, which includes designated beds for female veterans.
Intake and Referral Requirements
Arbor Lodge operates strictly as a reservation-only facility. Walk-in admissions and queuing outside the building are not permitted.
Submitting Referral Requests: Referral requests must be completed online via the Do Good Multnomah Shelter Referral Portal. Due to high demand, waitlists for non-veterans are typically impacted.
Alternative Admission Options: Interested individuals may call 503-572-2649 to check the status of their reservation, or call 211 to request general shelter coordination within the county.
Nearby Day Services: To access immediate, walk-in resources, the North Portland Drop-In Center—located nearby (in St. Johns)—offers direct access to showers, laundry facilities, meals, and referrals for direct shelter case management, Monday through Friday.
On-Site Resources & Features
Amenities: Secure personal lockers for storage, dedicated charging ports and reading lights for each bed, laundry facilities, showers, and indoor and outdoor communal spaces.
Trauma-Informed Space: Designed with a clear, color-coded wayfinding system, natural light, and a community-created mural, aimed at reducing anxiety related to spatial orientation for individuals who have experienced long-term homelessness.
Focus on Stabilization: Features case managers who work with residents during a specific 90-day stabilization period, with the goal of teaching sustainable life skills and coordinating the securing of permanent housing.
Walnut Park Shelter
Transition Projects’ Walnut Park Shelter is a “low-barrier” emergency shelter operating in the King neighborhood of Northeast Portland. Managed by Transition Projects in a facility owned by Multnomah County, the shelter offers stable temporary housing, hot meals, and active case management to assist participants in securing permanent housing.
Capacity and Target Demographics
Total Capacity: Offers between 72 and 80 beds in indoor spaces. Populations Served: Open to single adult men and women, as well as adult couples (ages 18 and older).
Priority Criteria: Priority for space is given to homeless neighbors from the surrounding area, veterans, adults aged 55 and older, and individuals with disabilities.
Facility Rules and Amenities
Low-Barrier Rules: Designed to reduce obstacles that prevent individuals from exiting homelessness. Bed placement is not conditional upon sobriety, although substance use is restricted within the facility premises.
Pet Policy: Well-behaved pets are permitted inside the facility when accompanied by their owners.
Key Amenities: Offers two hot meals per day (breakfast and dinner), secure storage for personal belongings, restrooms, laundry facilities, and showers on-site.
Hours of Operation: The physical facility operates as a 24/7 shelter program for active, registered participants.
Mandatory Admissions Process
Walnut Park operates strictly on a reservation and referral basis. Walk-ins (admissions without a prior appointment) are not accepted, and lining up outside the facility is prohibited.
Online Application: Submit an electronic application via the Transition Projects Shelter Pre-Screening Portal.
Visit to the Central Admissions Center: Complete an intake interview by visiting the Transition Projects Resource Center (located at a separate site) at 610 NW Broadway or 650 NW Irving St, Portland, OR 97209.
Telephone Verification: Call the centralized housing registry line at 503-280-4700 or dial 211 to verify the status of the regional waitlist.
Men-Only Shelters
These facilities focus specifically on overnight accommodation, meals, and structured stabilization programs for adult men.
Burnside Shelter (Portland Rescue Mission)
Operated by the Portland Rescue Mission, the Burnside Shelter is a prominent faith-based emergency and drop-in shelter open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, located in the Old Town-Chinatown neighborhood of downtown Portland. Serving the city since 1949, it offers direct subsistence services to individuals experiencing homelessness, alongside structured transitional housing programs.
Drop-in Emergency Services
Many of the services available at the front desk are accessible to men, women, and families without the need for a prior reservation. The building closes briefly for facility cleaning every day from 6:00 a.m. to 6:45 a.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Daily Meals: A free breakfast is served at 7:00 a.m. and dinner at 6:00 p.m. daily. Sunday lunch is available from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Hygiene Access: Restrooms, hygiene kits, socks, and public drinking water stations and sinks are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for people of all genders.
Mail Service and Vital Resources: Functions as a secure and active mailing address for homeless individuals to receive official documents, benefits, and identification cards.
Emergency Overnight Shelter (Men Only): The overnight lodging program at the Burnside facility has a total capacity of approximately 120 to 144 individuals and is strictly limited to adult men.
Admissions Process: To secure a standard emergency overnight bed, guests must appear in person to sign up for a daily lottery system. Randomly selected names are publicly posted by 5:00 p.m., and chosen guests must return to complete formal check-in by 8:00 p.m.
Alternative County-Level Referrals: Shelter placement can also be coordinated or verified externally by calling 211.
Structured Transformation Programs
Beyond immediate overnight shelter relief, the center serves as an entry point for multi-month stabilization initiatives:
Connect Program: A temporary 3-to-6-month residential track for men, offering dedicated “Next Step” beds, life skills training, employment resources, and direct housing search assistance.
Recovery Ministry Referrals: Staff facilitate the admissions process for the Mission’s long-term addiction recovery centers. Men are directed eastward to The Harbor, while women—or mothers with children—are referred to Shepherd’s Door.
Men’s Overnight Shelter (CityTeam Portland)
The CityTeam Grand Men’s Night Shelter is a faith-based emergency housing and stabilization program located in Portland’s Central Eastside Industrial District. Operated by CityTeam Portland, this overnight congregate living facility serves as an immediate refuge for adult men, while simultaneously functioning as a gateway to comprehensive, long-term addiction recovery and housing programs.
Overnight Emergency Services
The facility operates nightly with expanded capacity, designed to meet essential basic needs while providing a safe shelter space:
Amenities: Safe indoor sleeping space (congregate housing), daily hot meals, and access to clean clothing and hot showers.
Focus on Recovery: This center is explicitly designated as a sober, recovery-oriented space. Unlike county-run options with low-barrier access requirements, participants are expected to arrive at the facility in a sober state.
Voucher Program: To broaden community access, CityTeam prints specific voucher booklets for the night shelter, which can be distributed by community groups or the Multnomah County IDD Assistance Office.
Shelter Admission and Check-in Policies
To ensure safety and minimize neighborhood impact, CityTeam enforces strict schedules for both check-in and line formation:
Line Restrictions: Participants are strictly discouraged from lining up or congregating outside the facility more than 30 minutes prior to check-in time.
The “Next Night” Rule: The center utilizes a rolling reservation policy. Guests who successfully stay overnight are guaranteed the exact same bed for the following night.
New Guests: Check-in and admission for any available beds—those not already reserved—begin nightly between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Long-Term Transformation Programs
Guests seeking definitive pathways out of homelessness can transition from temporary overnight shelter to CityTeam’s structured local residences:
The Renew Program: A comprehensive, one-year residential program focused on restoration for men struggling with addiction or housing insecurity. It combines trauma-informed mentorship and 12-step meetings with professional counseling and personal finance education.
The Forward Program: A dedicated aftercare and sober living framework offering independent, affordable residential units for graduates who are reintegrating into the workforce and community life.
Alternative & Micro-Shelter Communities
Portland utilizes specialized villages of transitional housing modules that provide private, temporary housing structures, along with shared hygiene and kitchen facilities.
Multnomah Safe Rest Village
The Multnomah Safe Rest Village (MSRV) is a transitional micro-shelter village, administered by the City and located in the Multnomah Village neighborhood in Southwest Portland. Managed on-site by the non-profit organization Urban Alchemy, the village utilizes private, individual “tiny house” structures to provide a stable, trauma-informed environment for adults transitioning out of life on the streets.
The site is located at 2731 SW Multnomah Blvd, Portland, OR 97219, situated on a portion of the parking lot of the former Jerome F. Sears Army Reserve Center.
Facility Model and Focus on Transition to Recovery
Originally opened in 2022 as a “low-barrier” access site, the village has undergone significant structural and capacity adjustments:
Capacity Expansion: The village expanded its capacity to 100 individual shelter units to serve more people experiencing homelessness in the Southwest quadrant.
Shift Toward a Recovery and Sobriety Focus: The City of Portland is transforming the village into a shelter focused on recovery and sobriety. Under this model, units are reserved for participants who actively choose to pursue sobriety, combining private housing with on-site peer recovery resources.
Key Services: The facility features shared kitchens, restrooms, laundry infrastructure, hot showers, private personal units, and on-site behavioral health services.
Strict Referral and Admission Policy
The Multnomah Safe Rest Village operates exclusively through a managed referral system. This is not a drop-in facility (no appointments available); self-referrals and applications submitted by third parties from the community are not accepted.
Exclusive Placement via Community Outreach: Vacancies are filled directly through designated City and County outreach and navigation workers, who identify eligible individuals currently camping on nearby streets.
Contact Information: For official operational inquiries, the Urban Alchemy site dispatch line is 971-715-2232. Individuals seeking general shelter who wish to find available beds within the county should call 211 instead.
Neighborhood Integration
The site operates under a formal “Good Neighbor Agreement,” developed in collaboration with the Multnomah Neighborhood Association. To minimize impact on the neighborhood, Urban Alchemy deploys a team of “Neighborhood Ambassadors” tasked with keeping the extended interaction area—located directly outside the facility—clean, and with addressing concerns raised by the local community.
Dignity Village
Dignity Village is a historic, democratically self-governed and self-managed community of transitional tiny homes, located in the Sunderland neighborhood of Northeast Portland. Founded in December 2000 by homeless activists, it is recognized as the first shelter operating under the “Village Model”—city-sanctioned and member-managed—in North America, fostering an environment of self-empowerment and community building.
The community is located at 9401 NE Sunderland Ave, Portland, OR 97211. It is accessible via public transit via TriMet Bus Line 70 (get off at the final stop on Sunderland).
Membership and Community Living Model
Unlike traditional county-run emergency shelters, Dignity Village operates as a self-sufficient cooperative:
Structure: The site consists of 43 tiny structures and provides stable shelter for 60 to 65 residents at any given time.
Cost and Contribution: Residents (referred to as “villagers”) pay a modest monthly fee of $75 for utilities and must commit to performing 10 hours of weekly service toward the village’s operation, which includes tasks such as security, maintenance, and committee work.
Democratic Governance: The community is governed by an elected resident council, which enforces a strict code of conduct. Violations of the community’s core bylaws may result in the temporary or permanent suspension of membership.
Services and Facilities: The site features shared kitchen infrastructure, community gardens, centralized showers and restrooms, and a security checkpoint at the entrance. The village also utilizes an innovative solar power grid to safely supply electricity to individual homes for basic needs.
Entry Requirements and Admission Process
Dignity Village does not offer immediate overnight beds for walk-in visitors. Given that this is a long-term membership community—where individuals typically reside for an average of 1.5 years—vacancies are filled through a structured application process:
Weekly Admissions Committee: Prospective residents must attend an in-person admissions meeting, which takes place every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. at the village entrance.
The Waitlist: Due to high demand, accepted applicants are placed on an internal waitlist until a housing unit becomes vacant.
Winter Shelter Exception: During severe winter weather emergencies, the village temporarily opens its on-site greenhouse structure as a communal warming dormitory, offering immediate overnight relief.
Daytime Visitor and Community Support Policy
Daytime Visitors: Non-residents may visit the site during public operating hours (8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) to access basic hygiene supplies or to take shelter from the cold, subject to available resources at the time.
Public Donations: The village accepts donations delivered directly to the main gate. Frequently requested items include clean blankets, winter clothing, firewood, and personal hygiene products.
Specialized Support for Veterans
Do Good Multnomah (Roseway Location)
Do Good Multnomah’s Roseway Inn—a motel-style shelter—is a non-congregate transitional housing program available 24/7 and located in the Roseway neighborhood of Northeast Portland. Funded through the regional Supportive Housing Services Measure and operated by Do Good Multnomah, the program utilizes a converted motel layout to provide private living spaces, optimized primarily for vulnerable seniors and adults with disabling health conditions.
The facility is located at 9723 N.E. Sandy Blvd., Portland, OR 97220.
Capacity and Accommodations
Total Capacity: Features between 110 and 120 private, individualized rooms.
Populations Served: Open to individual adult men and women, as well as adult couples of all genders.
Priority Demographic Groups: Prioritizes seniors, individuals with fragile health, and military veterans who face particular challenges in traditional, overcrowded group shelters.
Pet Policy: Highly pet-friendly; features two large, fenced outdoor areas for dog exercise, where pets can run off-leash.
On-Site Services and Support
Food Resources: Includes an active on-site food pantry, available 24/7, to combat nutritional insecurity among residents.
Community Space: Utilizes a large, covered outdoor communal pavilion designed to allow participants to gather safely and build social support networks.
Guidance and Case Management: Residents are assigned dedicated housing navigators (present on-site) and peer mentors to help them overcome barriers to accessing healthcare and to actively secure permanent apartment rental agreements.
Strict Referral and Admission Policies
The Roseway site remains completely closed to in-person admission inquiries (walk-ins) and direct self-referrals from the general public.
Referrals from Congregate Shelters Only: Available spots are filled exclusively through direct transfers of individuals who have already been screened and referred by county-approved indoor congregate shelters.
Centralized Screening: To initiate the admission process within the broader Do Good system, applicants must contact the agency’s hotline at 503-436-5757 or complete the electronic screening tool available on the Do Good Multnomah Referral Portal.
General Resource Inquiries: Individuals seeking emergency shelter may dial 211 to check—in real time—for bed availability at county shelters.
