Salem, Oregon
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Find Shelter, Help and Information About Homelessness
National and Local Search Portal
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has created an online search tool to help people find shelters and service providers. You can also contact shelters directly using the information listed below.
Salem Warming Network
Temporary shelter locations and warming centers are available in Salem for overnight stays or drop-in housing. These shelters are temporary because they are not meant for long-term use and only open on the coldest winter nights.
Safe Vehicle Parking Program and Other Shelter Options
Salem's Safe Vehicle Parking Program helps people find a safe place to park their vehicle overnight.
Salem/Keizer Shelter Providers
Family Promise of the Mid-Willamette Valley
1055 Edgewater Street Northwest
503-370-9752
The ARCHES Project
615 Commercial Street NE
503-399-9080
1820 Berry Street SE
503-588-0428
Simonka Place
5119 RIver Road N
Keizer, OR
503-362-7487
Taylor House Youth Shelter
971-273-7300
Union Gospel Mission of Salem
345 Commercial Street NE
503-362-3983
United Way Safe Sleep
1910 Front Street
503-816-3409
Women at the Well Grace House
1243 Peace Street SE
971-600-3627
HOST - Resource Center and Transitional Living Program
1115 Liberty Street NE
503-588-5825
Mount Angel Shelter Locations
St Joseph Shelter
925 South Main Street
503-845-6147
Complete a Local Service Assessment for Housing
ARCHES
503-399- 9080
Mid-Valley Resources
Mid-Valley Resources provides links to find resources in our region. You'll find both searchable and printable resource lists.
The Salem Navigation Center at 1185 22nd Street SE is Marion County's first 24/7 low-barrier shelter for homeless people. It has 75 beds and helps connect people to benefits, health services, and permanent homes.
Salem Navigation Center First-Year Report
Why This Center Is Important
Marion County contains 8% of Oregon's homeless population, facing high chronic homelessness rates. Traditional shelters often require things like sobriety and segregate by gender, limiting who can use them. The Navigation Center offers help to everyone, lets people bring personal items and pets, and doesn't require sobriety. This approach helps more people access services, eases the demand on existing hot and cold weather shelters, and provides a step toward a better future.
Center’s Purpose
The center provides essentials like sleep, meals, and help with important documents to stabilize lives. It isn't a permanent home but aids in finding a stable, long-term solution.
Navigation Center Investment
Thank you to our partners:
- $3 million from City of Salem (ARPA, American Rescue Plan Act COVID funding) for buying and renovating the building
- $3 million from Marion County (ARPA) for building improvements
- $3.2 million from Oregon Housing & Community Services for health services and operations
- $5 million from Oregon Department of Human Services for daily operations
- $1.3 million from Mid-Willamette Community Action Agency for daily operations
Micro-Shelter Villages
Micro-shelter villages provide a safe, temporary place for people who don't have homes. These small villages offer help and connect people to important resources.
Why Are Micro-Shelters Important?
The City of Salem works with local non-profit groups to help people who are homeless. These micro-shelters have up to 40 small homes for people to stay temporarily. At each location, there's 24-hour security, staff on-site, and important facilities like bathrooms and meals. People staying there can also get support and link up with local help services and programs.
Learn More
Check out the Frequently Asked Questions about Micro-Shelter Villages below for more information.
The City of Salem allows managed Safe Parking shelter Sites where people without homes can park and live in their cars safely and legally. Unfortunately, vehicle residency is one of the fastest growing forms of homelessness in our area. Designating parking lots for those in need offers a prompt response in recognition of Salem's shelter crisis and rise in homelessness.
Why It's Important
No one should have to live in a car, but these safe parking sites provide a temporary place to stay. They are important because they help individuals and families connect to vital services. With access to toilets, showers, laundry, storage, and security, these sites support people in need. As homelessness grows, these sites offer essential help for individuals to get back on their feet.
Where Are the Sites?
Several safe parking sites are available throughout Salem. For example, one site is located at the 500 Block of Commercial Street SE. This location has 16 parking spaces and gives priority to families with children. It offers security, electricity, toilets, water, and laundry facilities.
Managed Sites
These sites are managed by Church at the Park, which ensures the locations are clean and peaceful. Management handles daily operations and guest services. Guests can have visitors, keep pets, and access storage for their belongings, while following the established rules.
Helping People in Need
Safe Parking Sites provide a secure and supportive environment. They meet people's basic needs while helping them find a more permanent home. This approach offers hope and stability during tough times.
Current Local Status
Data shows Oregon's homeless population is rising faster than other States. Oregon is the seventh leading state contributing to the overall homeless population, sitting in order behind Massachusetts, Washington, Texas, Florida, New York, and California.
The local numbers are also increasing. In 2020, data showed:
- 1,188 homeless people in Marion and Polk Counties.
- 579 are chronically homeless.
- 815 are single, and 120 are part of a homeless family.
According to the October 2020 Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance:
- 20 percent of Marion and Polk's homeless community are under the age of 24
- 10 percent of our regional homeless population identify as veterans.
Salem-Keizer School District reports a total of 1,118 school age children in unstable housing such as, living in a shelter, with family or friends, on the streets, or staying in a motel/hotel.
Why This Is Important
Understanding these numbers helps us see who needs help and why. Homelessness affects young people, families, and others escaping unsafe situations. It also impacts those forced out by wildfires or natural disasters. Knowing this helps us provide better support for everyone involved.
Why People Are Homeless
The National Center on Homelessness and Poverty lists the main causes:
- Not enough income
- Poverty
- Lack of affordable housing
- Mental illness
- Substance abuse
- Foreclosures
- Domestic violence
City Efforts to Address Homelessness
In addition to working with other organizations on long-term planning, the City is involved in several programs to help mitigate the homeless crisis.
You can also track the City's progress.
Mid-Valley Resources
Mid-Valley Resources provides links to find resources in our region. You'll find both searchable and printable resource lists.
2-1-1
2-1-1 is a free and confidential helpline that helps people of all ages find needed services. Whether you need help with money, household issues, health, or disasters, 2-1-1 is here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
2-1-1 is available through the phone or computer. A toll free call to 2-1-1 will connect you to a resource specialist in your area, who can help connect you with local organizations that provide essential critical services.
Services may include:
- Health care
- Energy assistance
- Elder care
- Volunteer options
- Counseling/Support
- Employment resources
- Education opportunities
- Emergency food/shelter
- Disability support/advocacy
Contact
- Dial: 2-1-1
- Mobile:
- Text your zip code to 898211
- Download the free smartphone app
- Email: help@211info.org
Other Resources
- Northwest Human Services Crisis and Information Hotline (24/7)
- 503-581-5535 or 1-800-560-5535
- Mid-Valley Resources
- Midvalleyresources.org
- Search for area resources and a printable guide. Find outreach request forms that you can submit for street outreach to individuals in need of a health assessment and wellness check.
Expand/Contract Questions and Answers
- The Church at the Park shelter and safe parking waitlist are open to any person experiencing homelessness. As we have openings, we pull from our waitlist, prioritizing people who are most vulnerable. Key vulnerability factors considered are age, kids in the household, chronic health conditions, and fleeing domestic violence. Once the household arrives at the shelter, staff complete the intake paperwork and orientation to the site clearly outlining safety and behavior expectations.
- It costs $1,600 per person per month to operate the managed micro-shelter community up to the standard of safety, sanitation, and support that we provide. Utilities, sanitation, showers, transportation, laundry and well balanced meals are also provided for all guests. By providing responsive homeless services, Church at the Park is helping to reduce emergency system use and public costs. In 2020, a month in the Marion County jail system cost per night, per person was $65 (or $1,950 monthly/person). In 2021, the cost for an overnight stay with Salem Health is $265 (or $7,950 monthly/ person). A 2018 study out of Portland demonstrated that by providing supportive housing services, the overall savings to taxpayers was 10.2 million dollars.
- Church at the Parks proactive approach to safety for guests and neighbors include 24/7 staffing, a licensed security team that responds to non-emergent safety concerns on the property or in the neighboring vicinity, video surveillance, and key partnerships with emergency responders. Through these measures, we have had a minimal neighboring impact.
- The focus of our micro-shelter communities is the provision of a safe, sanitary, and supportive environment for guests to take the next steps towards housing and employment. Church at the Park has 24/7 staff onsite supporting both the guests to gain stability. Additionally, we provide space on-site for partners to provide case management, food, showers, secure storage, and transportation.
Church of the Park opened the first managed micro-shelter community in April 2021, serving 98 people since it opened. In that time, 60% of the individuals have been able to obtain or maintain income and 33% of people served have exited the shelter to more permanent destinations. In the first two months, our program sponsors have served 65 individuals (38 adults and 27 children). In that time, 67% of the households that have exited the project are in more permanent destinations and 60% of adults have been able to obtain or maintain income.
- In the last year, Church at the Park has applied for and received funding from over 10 public and private funding sources at the local, state, and federal level. We are working to secure sustainable funding sources to continue the work past when the one-time relief funds run out. To that end, C@P is working towards HIPAA compliance in order to bill Medicaid.
- The City of Salem is contracting with Church at the Park (C@P), a non-profit service provider with experience in homeless outreach since 2007. C@P has a drop-in day center on Turner Road (near Cascades Gateway Park) and is a key partner in Salem's annual Homeless Count, the Homeless Connect event, Salem Warming Network, and it was the operator of the Pavilion Managed Camp last winter. C@P employs 85 staff who are offered robust training quarterly in the areas of Trauma-Informed Care, De-escalation, Crisis Response, and Outward Mindset. C@P seeks to employ people with a variety of expertise, including the expertise of people who have experienced homelessness as well as those with formal education and training.
- Currently, the City is paying for operating expenses for the managed micro-shelters. Church at the Park and the City are both exploring sustainable funding sources to ensure the longevity of the project. There is a lot of funding needed to set up the infrastructure for a responsive homeless service system. A volunteer group of community leaders led by Hazel Patton, Ron Stiener, and Emil Graziani have sponsored over 100 micro-shelters at $5,000 apiece in the Fall of 2021.
- The City is not prohibited from purchasing a property that is for sale. However, it is preferred that we explore the feasibility of City-owned properties first and lease options on private or public lands second before considering using substantial funds towards the purchase of any properties. The more funds that are spent to acquire and upgrade each site is money that reduces the operational sustainability of current and future sites.
- While the City has tried to lease space inside of vacant big box stores in the past, we have been turned down in each instance. Frequent responses for declining the use of their facilities have been that an adequate exit strategy does not exist that would allow them to sell to interested buyers if the site were being used for sheltering purposes. They have also cited marketability concerns for potential buyers if their property were to be used for this purpose. In regards to the former K-Mart at 2470 Mission Street, that store is within the FAA flight path and we are denied by federal regulations from using it for sheltering purposes.
There are health and safety concerns that must be taken into considerations before any sheltering can be considered. Most of the time the vacant buildings require expensive upgrades such as sprinkler system installation, roof replacement, new insulation, mold and mildew removal, and video surveillance installation.
These actions are cost-prohibitive as a strategy to regularly purchase, renovate and staff each location with the current funding structure in place. Vacant lots must be at least 42,000 square feet in size, flat contoured surface, close to utilities (water, electricity, sewer), outside of floodway and 100-year flood plain, not be designated as a wetland, within City limits, and within close proximity (less than half a mile) to public transportation.
All of the above policies and regulations exist to ensure the safety and well-being of the potential residents of our shelters.