Oregon Housing and Community Services Supports New Safe Rest Pod Village in Washington County

As Washington County grows, a new safe rest pod village is helping to keep residents experiencing homelessness out of the cold and rain.

Next Step Community in Aloha provides shelter for up to 70 people, with 60 safe rest pod pallet homes that offer privacy, security, and dignity for guests.

The community is operated by Open Door HousingWorks, a nonprofit shelter provider with experience overseeing this type of pod village. It celebrated its grand opening last week.

Oregon Housing and Community Services is providing $1.45 million in funding during this fiscal year for shelter operations.

"We are delighted to support Washington County and local partners in providing vital shelter for vulnerable Oregonians," said Liz Weber, director of OHCS's Housing Stabilization Division. "Everyone has a right to housing. Just in time for winter, Next Step Community will provide a place for people to stay on their pathway to safe, stable, affordable housing."

Washington County has been one of the fastest-growing areas of Oregon over the past 25 years.

Just as a mix of affordable and market-rate housing is essential to meet the needs of Washington County's growing population of housed residents, shelters like Next Step Community serve the county's unhoused residents.

When people experiencing homelessness have access to shelter, everyone benefits. Next Step Community will have 24/7 staffing for cleanliness and safety, reducing the strain on emergency services. Guests can access housing services and connect with providers, accelerating their path to becoming housed. Collaboration between partners-including the Washington County Department of Housing Services, which owns the site-helps foster housing solutions.

"Safe, supported shelter is one of the strongest tools we have to help people rebuild their stability as they recover from homelessness," said Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai. "Next Step Community is a direct result of voter commitment, regional partnership, and community engagement-and it offers residents a meaningful place to begin moving forward."

Through working with OHCS and other partners, Washington County continues to build shelter capacity. Last year, prior to the opening of Next Step Community, OHCS and the Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative at Portland State University estimated there were 861 shelter beds in Washington County. This number may fluctuate by season and provider availability.

Caption: Next Step Community celebrates its grand opening.