JOHS Logo

Community Engagement

The Multnomah County Homeless Services Department commits to the following principles for every project under development:

  • Maintain a visible presence in the community to ensure community members feel heard, seen, and prioritized
  • Provide clear, transparent, and timely communication
  • Establish trust and relationship between Multnomah County, the site operator, and the community
  • Foster an inclusive environment where the community is an active participant in the success of a future shelter or day center

HSD makes the following committments for each of their shelters:

  • Ensure shelter staff are on site 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week.
  • Prohibit, and use best efforts to prevent the use or possession of illegal substances and alcohol at JOHS shelters.
  • Prohibit possession of any firearm or other dangerous weapons at JOHS shelters.
  • Maintain a “no unauthorized visitors” policy at JOHS shelters. Visitors from partnering organizations may enter the site with proper documentation.
  • Adhere to noise ordinances and enforce quiet hours.
  • Maintain open, productive, and transparent communications.
  • Promptly investigate, address, and resolve concerns and complaints.

Overview of Engagement Activities

Below is an overview of engagement activities you can expect during the development of the project. You can find more detailed information about each phase and the activities associated with it in the next section.

Activity Timing Engagement Level
Phase I
 Site Designation Posted on JOHS website at time of designation Inform
Mailer 1 month prior to first community meeting Inform
Community Meeting 1 4 weeks prior to FAC-1 Inform/Consult
 Constituent Responses Ongoing Inform/Consult
FAC-1 Vote
Phase II
 Community Meeting 2 4 weeks after FAC-1 vote Inform/Consult
   Community Meeting 3 Shelter Operator Selected Inform
Phase III
 GNA Working Sessions 6 months before opening Collaborate
   Community Meeting 4 3 months before opening Inform
Phase IV
 Community Tour 2 weeks before opening Inform/Collaborate
Program Opens
  Community Relations Ongoing Inform/Collaborate

Levels of Engagement

  • Inform: We will keep the community up to date with where the project stands
  • Consult: We will consult with you to obtain your input and and provide feedback about how it informed our decisions
  • Involve: We will ensure that your input is considered among the choices we implement
  • Collaborate: We will work together to reach and implement decisions

Overview of Engagement Phases

Phase 1

  • Site Designation: When a site has been designated as a shelter, the Homeless Services Department (HSD) will share information on its website and through its newsletter.
  • Mailer: One month prior to the first community meeting, HSD will send a mailer to addresses within a .25 mile radius of the site informing neighbors about the meeting information. The mailer will also be shared with community partners to distribute electronically to their networks. 
  • Community Meeting 1: Held one month prior to the FAC-1 vote, the first community meeting will: 
    • Provide an overview of HSD commitments regarding the site by sharing common elements included in Good Neighbor Agreements
    • Share information about the process and timeline for community engagement
    • Share initial design for the site and solicit feedback
    • Take questions to develop a FAQ document that addresses issues and concerns raised by members.

FAC-1 Approval

At this stage, the Board of Commissioners will vote on approval of the construction plan for the project. A vote of approval allows the project team to proceed with the construction phase of the project. However, the FAC-1 is one administrative step in the full process of building new sheltering facilities. It doesn’t finalize the design, nor does it establish details about programming, operations, providers, or any neighborhood agreements. 

HSD will provide the Board with a summary of Phase I of engagement and share a copy of the FAQ document produced following Community Meeting 1.

Phase II

  • Community Meeting 2: One month after the FAC-1 vote, the second community meeting will take place. At this meeting, HSD will:
    • Provide an update on the site design
    • Provide an overview of the GNA process and highlight common elements
    • Inform about project and development updates.
  • Community Meeting 3: The third community meeting will take place after a provider for the site is selected. At this meeting, HSD will:
    • Introduce the service provider
    • Provide project updates
    • Discuss formation of GNA Working Group

Phase III

  • GNA Working Sessions: GNA Working Sessions will begin six months prior to the opening of the site. Members of the GNA working session will collaboratively form a Good Neighbor Agreement for the site. The GNA sets up protocols and processes to address opportunities for cooperation among stakeholders in support of a shelter and its participants and creates clear communication channels on how to address potential issues. Participants of the working group, in addition to HSD and the provider, could include neighborhood associations, business associations, school leadership, and abutting neighbors
  • Community Meeting 4: Three months before the opening of the site, the GNA Working Group will present the GNA to the community. A copy of the signed GNA will be hosted on the signatory party’s respective websites.

Phase IV

  • Sneak Peek Event: Two weeks prior to the site opening, HSD and the provider will host a sneak peek event that invites the community to tour the site before opening.
  • Ongoing Community Relations