Portland Courant

The City of Portland’s Safe Rest Village Program is pleased to announce that Urban Alchemy has been selected as the shelter operator for the Peninsula Crossing Safe Rest Village, located at 6767 N Syracuse St., Portland. Construction is nearing completion at the Peninsula Crossing Safe Rest Village.

Urban Alchemy brings experience from managing outdoor shelters, hiring those with lived experience and providing services to those moving from the streets to outdoor shelters as they work to transition from life unsheltered to housing or whatever is next in their paths.

“My team and I have seen firsthand how Urban Alchemy’s shelters work, how they provide services and support for those sheltered there, and how their approach fosters community and stability to those experiencing houselessness,” Commissioner Dan Ryan said. “The City of Portland is lucky to bring this type of experience to the mix of talented local service providers. We know there is often more than one solution to any challenge, and having a variety of service providers helps diversify the approaches we are offering to help those most in need.”

“Urban Alchemy's mission is to help people in crisis get connected to services and support and feel a sense of love, compassion, and safety. We actively recruit and train former long-term offenders and individuals with lived homeless experiences. These shared life experiences assist in building a strong relationship based on empathy and mutual respect,” said Dr. Lena Miller, CEO and Founder of Urban Alchemy. "We are honored to continue to grow our presence in Oregon and be an invaluable partner in creating peace so that some of the most vulnerable people have the support they need.”

Once the Peninsula Crossing Safe Rest Village is open and Urban Alchemy has operations underway, conversations with the neighbors and stakeholders will restart regarding the Good Neighbor Agreement for this village.

We will share the opening date for this site soon.

Media Contacts:

Safe Rest Village Program:

Bryan Aptekar

Communications Liaison

(503) 865-6863

Bryan.Aptekar@portlandoregon.gov

Urban Alchemy:

Jessica Tcholakov    

Vice President

(224) 436-1005

Jessica.Tcholakov@risestrategyg…

BACKGROUND:

About the Safe Rest Village Program

The Safe Rest Village program is an American Rescue Plan Act grant funded project. It is a different program from Mayor Wheeler’s planned Temporary Alternative Shelter Sites, though both aim to address the needs of those experiencing houselessness.

Safe Rest Villages are short-term outdoor adult shelters that serve as an alternative point of entry for Portlanders on the path from being homeless to finding stability in permanent housing. In July 2021 the City Council unanimously approved the concept and directed the construction of six villages.  Today, there are four open with a total of 151 shelter units available.  Three additional sites will be opened in the next few months, including Peninsula Crossing Safe Rest Village, the Sunderland RV Safe Park and the Reedway Safe Rest Village.  That will increase shelter unit capacity by another 120, as well as make space for 55 RVs – all with services, support, and 24/7 staffing. In the past three quarters since July 1, 2022, 89 people have exited the four open shelters, with 54% of them (48 people) moving into temporary or permanent housing.

For more information, visit www.SafeRestVillages.org or email SafeRestVillages@PortlandOregon.gov

About Urban Alchemy

Urban Alchemy is a social enterprise that transforms people and places through respect and compassion to heal communities challenged by the intersection of extreme poverty, mental illness, addiction and homelessness. With more than 1,110 employees throughout California and Texas, Urban Alchemy staff receive extensive training and ongoing support to help ensure their success in challenging environments. Over 91% of Urban Alchemy staff are Black or people of color, and 96% have been incarcerated and/or experienced homelessness.

Original source can be found here