Clackamas County officials, alongside Governor Tina Kotek and Metro representatives, marked a new chapter in the fight against homelessness with the inauguration of Clackamas Village on May 14, a transitional housing initiative dedicated to aiding adults in need of shelter and support. Joining forces with various partners, local leadership hailed the project's potential for instilling hope and fostering stability within the community. Governor Kotek praised the effort, saying, "This shelter means a warm, safe, private space and the first step toward stability for people who have been struggling for a long time," in a statement obtained by Clackamas County's official news release.
With the introduction of Clackamas Village, the county's shelter capacity experiences a near 25% boost, now offering a minimum of 266 spaces; indeed this increase comes at a time when homelessness continues to challenge urban and rural areas alike, with the new village contributing 24 specially designed living spaces funded by the Governor's Emergency Order on Homelessness and the Metro Supportive Housing Services Measure, as reported by the same news release. Clackamas County Board Chair Craig Roberts elucidated the financial commitment to the village: "The county allocated $4.8 million from SHS to build this village, and another $1.5 million a year to operate it," spotlighting the confidence in the village model's capability to transition residents into a stable livelihood.
Nonprofit organization Sunstone Way steps in to manage the village's round-the-clock staffing and variety of support services, including mental health and recovery assistance, employment and educational avenues, along with helping inhabitants secure long-term housing. Andy Goebel, CEO of Sunstone Way, conveyed his organization's philosophy when he told Clackamas County news, "Our trained, trauma-informed staff provide wrap-around support that meets people where they are, with compassion and dignity."
The village signifies the first of six significant projects geared toward enhancing Clackamas County's system of care which includes the forthcoming recovery center and the Clackamas Stabilization Center amongst others; Clackamas County Commissioner Paul Savas voiced his anticipation for these projects, alluding to the adjacent Veterans Village as a measure of the new project's potential, detailing his optimism for the county's strategies in an effort to put an end to homelessness Metro Councilor Christine Lewis also weighed in, attributing the project's fruition to the voters and highlighting the sheer transformative nature of Clackamas Village, "For those facing the harsh realities of homelessness, it offers more than respite – it offers dignity, stability and a meaningful path forward," Lewis stated in the same news release.
