Bridge Shelter

While Vancouver’s homelessness response strategies are working, the complexity and magnitude of homelessness in Vancouver continue to grow. When the pandemic hit, homelessness spiked. The number of homeless people in Clark County grew by about a third between 2020 and 2022.

• Since Dec. 2021, the City has more than doubled the number of shelter beds available to adults experiencing homelessness in Clark County – adding up to 160 new beds across the city through our four Safe Stay Communities.
• Since 2021, 502 people have lived in Safe Stay communities, including 86 current residents (as of July). 50% of those exiting Safe Stays move into stable housing.

Before the Safe Stay program, Clark County had fewer than 100 year-round beds for homeless adults, fewer than 15 beds for single women and no options for couples without children.

Despite this progress, there are not enough shelter beds to house the more than 500 Vancouver residents who remain unsheltered. The consequences of unsheltered homelessness can be deadly:

• The Vancouver Fire Department responded to 2,489 medical/EMS calls related to homelessness in 2024
• At least 53 people experiencing homelessness died in 2024, representing a 70% increase from the previous year
• 50% of these deaths were due to overdose. These overdose deaths occur largely among people who are living in isolation, either unsheltered or in individual supportive housing.

While there have been overdoses and deaths in shelters, no deaths due to overdose have been reported. In addition to filling a much-needed gap in shelter capacity, the bridge shelter model, including on-site behavioral health services, can provide a lifesaving stepping stone for adults experiencing addiction before transitioning into housing.

The bridge shelter will provide 24/7 on-site support by a non-profit operator. To help with the critical needs of those seeking help, the shelter will include on-site medication-assisted treatment and other substance use disorder services, including peer recovery support. The shelter will also be able to expand capacity for severe weather events.

Services

• Day-to-day support: Case management, housing assessments, peer-to-peer recovery support, meals and hygiene services.
• Medication-Assisted Treatment Program: Treatment for substance use and mental/behavioral health support.
• Other services: Work opportunities, education, animal care/clinics and severe weather shelter.

Estimated costs

• ~$22 million: To acquire the property and construct the shelter. Construction costs are approximate based on ongoing market changes.

• $6.5 million: Annual operating and management cost in the first year. This cost would grow at the rate of inflation annually for the shelter’s 10-year lifespan.

Funds to establish the shelter will come from the existing City budget. The City’s 2025-26 budget established a new Business and Occupation tax that will provide most of the funding needed for operating the shelter.  

Staff also continue to seek additional funding sources, including federal/state grants, private philanthropic donations and local partnerships.

Funding partners to date

• $2.75 million from Clark County Opioid Abatement Council.
• $2.1 million from Clark County’s Mental Health Sales Tax (a fund reserved for chemical dependency or mental health treatment services, or therapeutic courts).
• $800,000 PeaceHealth Community Health Improvement Plan Grant to help build a commercial-grade kitchen.
• $1.9 million grant from the Ed and Dolly Lynch Fund, Community Foundation of Southwest Washington for up to eight new, limited-term positions on our Homeless Assistance and Resources Team (HART) to provide outreach and help guide people into the shelter once it opens.

After researching several potential properties, the City selected the property located at 5313 N.E. 94^th Ave. in the Van Mall neighborhood. This three-acre property is a good fit for the shelter because it’s:  

• located near a transit line,
• zoned for General Commercial, which allows this use,
• large enough to accommodate the shelter.

The cost of retrofitting the vacant building for a shelter would have been significantly higher than constructing new buildings. To shorten the construction schedule and reduce construction costs for the project, the City is using a steel building (Pre-Engineered Metal Building) manufactured by BlueScope for the shelter’s building shells.

All buildings on the property were demolished, including the former Naydenov Gymnastics facility and two vacant homes.

The City is using a mostly steel, pre-fabricated structure, called a pre-engineered metal building, to house the future shelter.

This type of building is beneficial in several ways:

• Shorter construction time: The building is fabricated off-site, concurrent with site preparation, and can be built very quickly.
• Durability: Made to last, resistant to extreme weather conditions and fires.
• Saves cost: Precise engineering and an efficient fabrication environment saves on materials, labor and energy.
• Sustainability: Made with highly recyclable materials and energy-efficiency designs.

Given the magnitude of the homelessness crisis and deficit of income-based and permanent supportive housing, the City anticipates operating the bridge shelter for at least 10 years.

To access shelter services, individuals must follow a code of conduct/rules. The code of conduct will be developed by the service provider (Do Good Multnomah), with input from people with lived experience with homelessness and informed by the best practices used for the City’s Safe Stay/Safe Park communities, and the needs/concerns of surrounding neighbors and businesses.

Yes. There are many tools to address the complex needs of unsheltered people in Vancouver (Safe Stay Communities, Safe Park, etc.), but no single solution or shelter style will work for everyone. The bridge shelter will allow us to get many unsheltered adults indoors and safely supported, for the lowest possible cost.  

Yes. We intend to include space that can be used to temporarily expand shelter capacity for severe weather and poor air-quality events.

Following the negotiation and acquisition of property for a potential shelter, we mailed an initial postcard notice to all neighbors and businesses within 1,200 feet of the property. Additional community engagement, including an in-person and virtual event, took place in Nov. 2024.

A robust community engagement process, including online and in-person outreach, will help us address community concerns and incorporate feedback into final plans and operating procedures for the bridge shelter.   

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