PORTLAND, Ore. – On Tuesday, Portland opened its newest overnight-only homeless shelter in the Pearl District, a project that has drawn both praise and strong opposition from neighbors. Hours before the doors opened, reporters were given a tour of the facility at 1435 Northwest Northrup Street.
Part of the Mayor’s Larger Plan
The Pearl District site is the fifth shelter to open under Mayor Keith Wilson’s plan to create 12 to 15 shelters by Dec. 1, with the goal of adding 1,500 new beds to the city’s existing 3,000. Wilson has framed the initiative as a way to guarantee that anyone who wants a safe place to sleep has one.
On opening night, the shelter could accommodate 40 guests, with a plan to expand to 100 beds by October and eventually up to 200 beds. If fully realized, the shelter would bring Portland’s total number of new city-funded beds to about 630—just under halfway to Wilson’s target.
Notably, the mayor did not attend the Tuesday morning preview. Instead, he was at a press event at Daimler Truck North America to highlight the city’s purchase of a battery-electric Freightliner M2 truck for the water bureau.
What the Shelter Offers
The Northrup Shelter, as it is now called, is operated by the Salvation Army, which already manages two other overnight shelters in Portland and the Sunderland RV Safe Park, set to close at the end of September.
The new facility occupies an old office building with a loft-like layout. Reporters saw 40 twin-sized metal frame beds and one bunk bed arranged in neat rows across a floor covered with a shiny black material. Each bed had a fitted sheet, pillow, and blanket.
A staff work area sat behind a partial wall, while bathrooms and snack stations were available for guests. Like other overnight-only shelters, the Northrup will provide about nine hours of service nightly, with basic bathroom facilities and light snacks.
Unlike 24-hour shelters, the facility does not include showers, laundry, or storage for personal belongings. Instead, city leaders describe it as a low-barrier entry point—somewhere people can get off the street for the night and begin engaging with services.
Strong Pushback From Neighbors
While other shelters under Wilson’s tenure have opened with little fanfare, the Pearl District site has drawn intense criticism. Over the summer, hundreds of residents attended meetings—both virtual and in-person—voicing concerns about safety, the shelter’s proximity to schools, and the effectiveness of an overnight-only model.
Emails to local media outlets also reflected frustration. Some residents worried the Pearl would see the same struggles that have long plagued Old Town, where many social service agencies are concentrated.
In an editorial for the Northwest Examiner, publisher Allan Classen argued the shelter unfairly targeted a successful neighborhood.
“People in positions of authority … treat successful sections of the city not as resources and positive examples but as targets to label as selfish resisters to compassion for those in need. A heap of self-righteousness leads nowhere we want to go,” Classen wrote.
Wilson’s Argument for Overnight Shelters
Mayor Wilson has defended the overnight-only model, saying it addresses a gap in the shelter system by giving anyone who needs a bed a safe option.
“These facilities are designed to act as a first step out of homelessness,” Wilson has said in previous remarks. “They ensure that people aren’t turned away when they need a place to sleep.”
The city believes offering low-barrier overnight shelters could help engage some of the most vulnerable Portlanders who may not immediately transition into structured, long-term housing programs.
What Comes Next
City officials have not announced where the next shelters will be located, but the mayor’s goal remains ambitious: opening a dozen or more sites before December.
For now, the Northrup Shelter represents both a step toward that target and a flashpoint in Portland’s debate over how best to address homelessness.
Inside, the beds are made, the lights are on, and staff are ready to welcome the first guests. Outside, questions remain about how the shelter will impact one of the city’s most prominent neighborhoods—and whether the overnight-only model will prove effective in moving people off the streets for good.
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