Last night saw temperatures well below freezing, and Portlanders woke up to a city blanketed in snow. With the temperature expected to drop as low as 26 degrees tonight, Multnomah County will once again open three extra homeless shelters Tuesday evening to ensure no one is left out in the cold.
This is the third night in a row that the county’s Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) has opened three extra shelters: Transition Projects at the Bud Clark Commons, the Union Gospel Mission, and Gresham's Sunrise Center.
The JOHS reported that more than 175 people took advantage of those additional shelters last night, while dozens more found shelter in privately operated shelters. (On a regular, non-freezing winter night, the county has about 1,600 beds to offer to those seeking shelter.) According to JOHS, the number of people looking for shelter in severe weather could grow significantly if freezing temperatures persist. During a major snowstorm and freeze in 2017, the number of those using additional shelters grew to about 750.
"The longer severe weather lasts, the higher the number of people who use the beds gets," said Denis Theriault, a spokesperson for the county.
Whether or not an individual receives shelter during freezing weather can be a matter of life or death, so the JOHS will not be turning anyone away tonight, regardless of whether they have an ID or any other documents.
If you are in need of a safe, warm place to spend the day or evening, you can find nearby warming centers or shelters here. And if you want to help folks stay warm throughout the season, find volunteering and donation info here.
