Lea este artículo en español.

Construction activity is underway on SW 17th Avenue near Winco & Dairy Creek Park as the City of Hillsboro and Washington County work to create Hillsboro’s first permanent year-round shelter for adults experiencing homelessness. 

Since construction began on January 6, two vacant buildings on the property that were unsuitable for reuse have been demolished and temporary fencing is complete.

Elected officials and City & County leaders will celebrate the groundbreaking in early March. 

The future shelter will meet critical community needs by offering safe sleeping spaces, meals, wrap-around support, and housing assessments to connect guests with pathways to long-term housing support.

Planned amenities & services include:

• Safe sleeping spaces for up to 75 guests:
  
  
  • 35 indoor sleeping areas in a congregate setting
    
    
  • 40 individual shelter pods
    
    
• Culturally-responsive & trauma-informed support through 24/7 onsite staff
  
  
• Onsite mental, behavioral, and physical health services
  
  
• Centralized location with access to public transportation, employment opportunities, food, medical care, and nearby support services
  
  
• A warming kitchen, communal dining area, and computer access
  
  
• Bathrooms, showers, laundry, and storage for personal belongings
  
  
• Outdoor seating, recreation, and pet areas

Once open, the shelter will be operated by a service provider and funded through Washington County's allocation of the Supportive Housing Services Measure. 

Engaging Our Community 

Plans for the shelter's design, architecture, and amenities have been informed by community engagement through stakeholder focus groups and a community-wide survey. See the July 2024 artist renderings to explore the design.

Community input will continue to shape: 

• Operator selection & qualifications
  
  
• Elements of the shelter's Neighborhood Plan

We're also inviting community members to ask us a question and sharing those questions and our responses on Engage Hillsboro.

The Safe Rest Pods — Now Closed — Served 190+ Community Members

The temporary Safe Rest Pods on SW 17th Avenue provided emergency shelter at the project site while year-round shelter development moved forward.

During two rounds of operation, the Safe Rest Pods: 

• Provided emergency shelter for 196 community members
  
  
• Connected 178 guests to housing assessments

The Pods closed at the end of October to clear the property for construction. Washington County is storing the portable shelters while exploring opportunities for future locations.

Next Steps

• The City of Hillsboro & Washington County will open a Request for Proposals for a shelter operator in the coming weeks.
  
  
• Operator selection is expected to conclude by late spring.
  
  
• Neighborhood Plan community engagement is planned for next summer.

The shelter is expected to welcome its first guests in winter 2025-26 following a community open house.

Photos, from top to bottom, include: construction activity at future year-round shelter site, artist rendering of aerial view of future shelter, artist rendering of an individual shelter pod, artist rendering of indoor sleeping areas, artist rendering of community room, former Safe Rest Pods on SW 17th Avenue, artist rendering of outdoor dining and gathering area. 

Stay Informed

Visit Engage Hillsboro to see the full project timeline, learn more about the plans, or ask us a question.

Get monthly email updates on the City's homelessness initiatives. 

Learn More

• Safe Rest Pods on SW 17th Avenue
  
  
• Hillsboro’s Homelessness Initiatives
  
  
• Washington County Neighborhood Plans
  
  
• Washington County Emergency Shelters
  
  
• Washington County Day Centers & Homeless Resources