Do Good Multnomah has purchased a former North Portland hotel with plans to open a 17-bed recovery shelter to better serve veterans experiencing homelessness. With the help of a Multnomah County loan, Do Good Multnomah was able to buy theKenton Hotel on North Interstate Avenue to serve as a recovery shelter for veterans.
The facility, which is planned to open in late 2025, will prioritize creating a supportive space for veterans who are currently in recovery from substance use disorders or are wanting to begin their recovery journey. The program will be called The Thayer Family Foundation Veterans Shelter, named for a local charitable foundation focused on veteran projects who donated funds to support the purchase.
The project fills a gap identified by Do Good Multnomah staff and shelter participants, who have expressed a need for a shelter designed to support veterans who are both experiencing homelessness and recovering from substance use disorders.
“There isn't anything like this out there right now," said Matthew Harvey, U.S. Navy veteran and a Do Good Multnomah case manager, who has himself previously experienced homelessness in multiple states. "Recovery beds are very few and far between. Having a recovery community, especially one that’s veteran-centered, is something that would have changed everything for me when I was going through my struggles. We’re building a space that's been so needed and the Do Good community has been ready for."
“Veterans experiencing homelessness deserve a shelter that meets their needs for support and recovery. We're excited Do Good is making this vision a reality,” Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said. “This place will transform lives — providing a safe place for veterans to find stability and hope, alongside peers who truly understand what they’re going through.”
Shelter services will support recovery and housing goals
The shelter will be open 24/7 for participants and offer structured, clean and sober programming and support, helping each participant build the skills and community connections needed to succeed in stable housing.
The shelter will be staffed with a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, along with peer wellness specialists and recovery mentors.
Do Good Multnomah will provide the following services directly on-site:
- Case management services to help participants meet their individual goals. That includes helping participants access health care or obtain documents often needed for housing applications, like identification cards, Social Security cards and birth certificates.
- Support and expertise while working towards permanent housing goals, including application support and connections to resources.
- Food pantry, pet supply pantry and clothing closet.
- Daily dinners.
- Free transportation to all external appointments, provided through TriMet or Lyft.
- Connections to services provided by partner organizations.
"This project is so much more than putting a Band-Aid on veteran homelessness,’’ said Harvey. “We're creating a place that will change somebody's life immensely.’’
Program marks another local investment in recovery services
Multnomah County’s Homeless Services Department (formerly Joint Office of Homeless Services) provided a $500,000 forgivable loan to help cover the cost of the building. The loan will be forgiven if Do Good Multnomah provides the agreed-upon shelter services at the location for at least five years, otherwise Do Good Multnomah will have to pay the County back for the loan. The County also plans to support ongoing operations once the shelter opens.
The $500,000 comes from the voter-approved Metro Supportive Housing Services Measure, marking the latest example of the measure expanding needed services in the Portland area.
“We watch in dismay and outrage as the White House and Congress abandon our veterans. I’m grateful that here in Multnomah County, the Metro Supportive Housing Services fund is helping us to respond locally to meet veterans’ needs with real, lasting support,” Metro Councilor Mary Nolan said.
While Multnomah County remains committed to prioritizing shelters that offer low-barrier services and don’t require sobriety, in recent years the County has expanded its investments in recovery and sober housing to support community members recovering from substance use disorders. In 2024, County investments resulted in over 250 new recovery, stabilization and transitional housing beds that are currently serving people in need. The County has also invested in other shelters requiring sobriety, including the Bybee Lakes Hope Center.
The project is also supported by longtime Do Good partner the Thayer Family Foundation, a nonprofit focused on supporting veterans in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
“The Thayer Family Foundation is honored to support initiatives that uphold the legacy of our father, Brigadier General James Thayer. Creating a new sober shelter for veterans carries forward his commitment by providing better opportunities for veterans to achieve stability and success in their housing goals,” said John Thayer, the foundation’s treasurer. “This project is more than a shelter — it's an intentional landing place for veterans to reconnect to community, services, and build a life on their own terms.”
