City Manager update: November 2026
November 6, 2026
Last week we held an open house for the newly constructed bridge shelter, now known as Dave and Judy’s Place. It was wonderful to see so many people tour the shelter and learn firsthand how this critical resource strengthens the City’s response to homelessness. This shelter is a key part of our emergency response plan. It is a safe place for people experiencing homelessness to stay while they work toward permanent housing.
This was never just another capital project or building. It was a response to a humanitarian crisis. It remains unacceptable that people in our community are living outside and that lives are being lost. We had an obligation to act with urgency. My predecessor, together with City Council, recognized this and declared a homelessness emergency. That decision gave us the tools and flexibility to move this project forward more quickly, streamlining the process of accepting donations, purchasing goods and services, and accessing reserves. We also accelerated permitting, allowing us to start construction sooner.
Our funding partners provided $5.65 million for the shelter, including Clark County Opioid Abatement Council, Clark County’s Mental Health Sales Tax, and PeaceHealth’s Community Health Improvement Plan Grant. A $1.9 million grant from the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Community Foundation of Southwest Washington, will fund limited-term Homeless Assistance and Resources Team positions to provide outreach and help guide people into the shelter.
Do Good Multnomah, a local nonprofit, will operate the shelter and provide 24/7 on-site support. Our Streets will supply meals cooked in the commercial-grade production kitchen to residents and Safe Stay and Safe Park Communities. The Cowlitz Indian Tribe will provide a medication-assisted treatment program through North Star Clinic.
I want to recognize the people whose commitment, collaboration, and sense of purpose made this project possible. Your efforts demonstrate our values and public service at its best. Because of your commitment, people in our community will have a safer place to sleep, access to essential services, and greater opportunities to achieve stability.
This accomplishment is more than completing a facility; it reflects what is possible when people unite around a shared purpose and stay committed to seeing it through. Our community is better because of your work, and I’m deeply grateful for everything you contributed.
I want to specifically recognize Jamie Spinelli, our homeless response manager, for driving the City’s homelessness strategy and championing this shelter as a critical missing component in our continuum of services. I also want to recognize Kevin Kearns, capital projects manager, for ensuring that essential operational and facility considerations were incorporated from the outset, resulting in a shelter that is not only well built but positioned for long-term success. Finally, I want to recognize Kerry Peck, program coordinator in the City Manager’s Office, for serving as a vital link among the many teams and partners involved in this project and keeping the work coordinated. While these three played central roles in the project, many other staff members’ dedicated efforts brought this facility to life. Thank you for making a meaningful and lasting difference.