Some services will provide outdoor survival gear such as tents, tarps, sleeping bags, and more if someone is camping outside, though they cannot officially condone it and do not allow camping nearby in most cases. Camping is currently banned in Portland and the City pays for Rapid Response workers to clear encampments and throw away belongings and essential gear, so do this only if it is your only option, and at your own risk.
Tips for staying safe while camping:
Don't camp somewhere you cannot easily get to unless you are confident your spot is hidden.
Try to camp with others if possible, it makes accessing resources, staying warm, and maintaining security easier.
Don't leave a tent unsecured in public if you want to come back to it. People are desperate.
Keep any important belongings on your person whenever you can, and store critical items with people you know whenever you can. If you are leaving anything at your campsite, keep it in or immediately next to your tent.
Don't let your spot get messy. Pick up after yourself and make sure anyone who visits does the same. Extra trash is a very easy way to get a campsite tagged and swept.
Keep walkways around your tent clear and don't block sidewalks. Blocking sidewalk access prevents disabled people of any housing status from getting around safely and is not okay. Tents that block sidewalks will also be removed far quicker.
Don't light fires if at all possible, and if you do, keep it the size of a dinner plate or smaller, contained, and make sure you can put it out immediately. This is extremely risky and people can get arrested because of how dangerous it is.
Make sure you can pack down your entire campsite as often as possible. Sweeps happen pretty frequently and they will steal anything you do not move out of an active site.
Do not accumulate more than you can carry unless you have enough people to move things. Don't expect anyone else to be responsible for your belongings.
Don't camp near a school if possible. Reports from a school are taken more seriously and often result in being swept more aggressively.
If you are in an active DV situation, are undergoing surgery, or are being discharged from a hospital, Oregon Health Plan can sometimes cover emergency motel stays. You must have active OHP coverage and a provider who can access Flex Funds.
Looking for something indoors? This is a list of short term shelters available for homeless youth.
1635 SW Alder St, Portland, OR 97205
Stay here on a nightly basis from 8:45pm (under 20) or 9:00pm (over 20) to 8:45am. No pets, service dogs MAY be allowed in but it is arbitrary and depends on who is there. Couples are in different beds and physical contact beyond the basic publicly acceptable level will get you kicked out. Dinner is served if you are early enough, but alternatives for dietary restrictions are not available. You cannot keep belongings here outside of operating hours (9pm-9am). Leaving after 8:45am will mean you cannot return that night. This space is VERY inaccessible, and if you cannot carry your own mobility aid up one full flight of stairs, you will not be able to enter. Document all communication with staff in writing whenever possible.
454 SE Washington St, Hillsboro, OR 97123
Safe Place is a limited-term shelter that does not allow pets. Residents up to age 21 may stay up to 30 days. Beds are limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis.
470 SE 165th Ave., Portland, OR 97233
This is a shelter for people ages 9-17 that is open 24/7. New Avenues runs this shelter along with the drop-in center. They offer a safe place to sleep, showers, laundry, and a wide array of other services. This space has a heavy focus on family reunification but offers a lot of supports to youth in that process. To access this shelter, call 971-754-4350 or email alba@newavenues.org
999 N Thunderbird Way, Portland, OR 97227
Right 2 Dream Too is a low barrier outdoor shelter near the Moda Center that offers limited space on a day to day basis for people 18 and over. Within the shelter, if you attend regular meetings, you can go from nightly shelter cot space to a tent space and eventually to a tiny home within their community. Regular meetings and shifts working as security or in the office are required to move up from a cot space, store belongings, etc. This site is not wheelchair accessible. Mobility aid users can still show up and request shelter, but mobility aids will be stored outside the sleeping area. The large tents have two wooden stair steps to get in.
In order to access this shelter, you must show up at 5pm to get on the list. Showing up outside of the sign-up time, you will still be able to ask questions, but you cannot access the shelter earlier than 5pm. This is an adult shelter and ID is required to stay here.
Offered to clients who stay at Porch Light first. Usually the waitlist is a couple weeks long. Street Light offers more flexibility & versatility than Porch Light, allowing residents to show up late & still be guaranteed a bed for the night. This comes with the requirement of chores and the provision of safe storage for food & belongings. Areas must be kept neat. Bed reservations will be cancelled if you miss too many days in a month or if any other rules are violated. This space is inaccessible and non-ambulatory mobility aid users cannot enter. If you use a mobility aid, a modified plan to access shelter may be necessary. This often ends up looking like a reserved bed in the Porch Light space with added restrictions and responsibilities. Document all communication with staff in writing if possible. There have been multiple reports of unsafe behavior from staff and between clients. Documenting your interactions can keep you safe in the longer term.
To get into Street Light, stay in Porch Light first or ask NAFY, Outside In, or p:ear staff for help getting on the list. You can also call the Access Center between 9am-4pm on weekdays at (503) 914-9100.
Moxie
This building is located upstairs of SMYRC on 1220 SW Columbia close to OI. Residents are required to fill out a form and write an essay along with having a NAFY staff member vouch for them to apply. Stay is limited to two years or your 26th birthday, whichever comes first. Residents must be working toward either educational or vocational goals (either attending school or attaining employment). In order to access this space, talk to staff at a NAFY drop in center.
Unity
LGBTQ+ youth who are unhoused can apply for Unity House, a transitional housing venture that is an intentional community supported by one housing manager. Unity is between buildings currently due to the current house's structural issues so applications are closed at this time. Reach out to NAFY staff or ask current residents for the most updated info.
On the third floor of the building is a transitional housing floor with individual rooms and shared common spaces. Residents are expected to work on housing goals and are closely supervised by staff. Ask OI staff in the day center on the second floor to apply. Document all communication with staff in writing.
On the fourth floor of the building are studio apartments, reserved for those who are able to pay a small deposit and small monthly fee. Some units are reserved for pregnant & parenting youth. You can apply separately, but most people get in quicker via the 3rd floor waitlist. Document all communication with staff in writing.
There are several small communities of tiny homes, often called pods, villages, or safe rest sites, that offer a little more protection (theoretically) while you search for permanent housing. The waitlists can be long at times, but getting on a waitlist early is a good way to ensure you'll have the option when it comes. Some communities require referrals from partner agencies, but if you approach the community and ask, they may have staff onsite that can explain the process or help direct you to the right place to get referred. Case managers at most services can place a referral or put you on waitlists. These sites are not ADA compliant, and mobility aid users may have a harder time accessing this resource.
Locations of city-managed tiny home villages can be found here. WeShine and Urban Alchemy are the main organizations that run tiny home villages. Mobility aid users may have more difficulty accessing WeShine properties, and wheelchair users are often denied or separated from their mobility aid. You may need to access case management through one of the service agencies in order to get referred to one of these sites.
Some services may offer vouchers or housing assistance that allows for choosing your own apartment and having partial or full coverage of rent and utilities. The best way to get information that's up-to-date is to get in touch with a case manager via services under the county's Homeless Services department (NAFY, Outside In, NAYA, HomePlate, TPI, Central City Concern, etc). Most housing voucher programs require a referral that can only be obtained through these services.
Section 8 vouchers can sometimes be applied for online if you happen to check the website during a window where their waitlist is open, but this does not happen often. This site is a good place to check.
(editor's note: HUD funding is currently in jeopardy, and new vouchers are not being issued at this time. If you are trying to access this resource, please reach out to a case manager, peer support, or other staff member at a service. Updates will be made available as they come.)