NEWS RELEASE: Multnomah County to open six severe weather shelters at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, through at least noon Thursday, Feb. 13

Multnomah County, Ore. (Feb. 11, 2025) —  Multnomah County will open six emergency shelters from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, through at least until noon Thursday, Feb. 13, as the region braces for ongoing bitter cold and wind and potential precipitation.

With forecasts again meeting severe weather thresholds, the County will reopen five emergency shelters that opened on Tuesday, Feb. 11, and add one additional shelter. A total of 356 people came to the five shelters that opened last night.

The state of emergency in Multnomah County, extended by Chair Jessica Vega Pederson through at least 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, remains in effect.

Multnomah County employees and service provider partners will open these six severe weather shelters tonight at 8 p.m. They will remain open through at least noon Thursday, Feb 13. Multnomah County and its partners continue to watch the forecasts and will be ready to keep shelters open longer as needed. 

No one seeking shelter will be turned away. All sites welcome pets and are accessible to people with disabling conditions. 

• Cook Plaza (19421 S.E. Stark St., Gresham) — operated by Cultivate Initiatives
• Hollywood Shelter (1815 N.E. 43rd Ave., Portland) — operated by Transition Projects
• N.W. 14th Avenue Shelter (600 N.W. 14th Ave., Portland) — operated by Do Good Multnomah
• Ascension Church Tony Rinella Hall (823 S.E. 76th Ave, Portland) — operated by Multnomah County
• Grand Oak Shelter (324 S.E. Grand Ave., Portland) — operated by Multnomah County
• (New Feb. 12) Charles Jordan Community Center (9009 N. Foss Ave., Portland) – operated by Multnomah County

Beyond adding Charles Jordan Community Center tonight, the County will continue to add capacity as needed and available.

Transportation to shelters is available; call 2-1-1

Free transportation to warming shelters will be available by calling 2-1-1. 211info staff are available to identify shelters and warming spaces in Multnomah County 24/7, along with transportation options.

Also, TriMet will not turn away anyone traveling to or from an emergency warming shelter during shelter hours. People planning to use TriMet to get to a warming shelter should check for routes at trimet.org and let the driver know they are headed to a shelter.

This interactive map shows places to to get warm during the day, including Multnomah County Library branches, which are open normal hours today, and the shelter locations opening tonight.

You can also download and print updated maps of shelter sites in English and Spanish:

• English-language shelter map Feb. 12 (426.05 KB)
• Spanish-language shelter map Feb. 12 (437.54 KB)

If you are concerned about someone you see during colder conditions, such as an individual who is not dressed for the weather conditions, call the non-emergency response line at 503-823-3333 and request a welfare check.

If someone is unsheltered and their life appears to be in danger, call 9-1-1 for medical attention.

The Joint Office of Homeless Services is also continuing its enhanced outreach program today. The Joint Office has activated its coordinated outreach efforts repeatedly since Jan. 11, 2025, an unprecedented stretch in response to the past few weeks of cold temperatures.

The County and its partners are also prepared to keep shelters open longer tomorrow and into this week as conditions warrant. The County will send official announcements if shelters open on additional days.

For the latest information as conditions change, please bookmark and visit multco.us/cold.

Hundreds sought refuge at shelters Feb. 11

In addition to the 356 people who sought refuge at the five emergency warming shelters overnight Feb 11, an additional 208 people stayed at the two overnight Salvation Army seasonal winter shelters, and 20 others used emergency overflow beds made available at year-round shelters. Pets were welcome. 

Overnight Feb 11, 211info coordinated transportation for 57 people seeking shelter. Community volunteers also continued to help drive people to shelters.

These seasonal and emergency shelters join Multnomah County and the City of Portland’s nearly 3,000 year-round shelter beds that operate 24/7 and are almost always at capacity. While those beds are often mostly full, they provide important respite for hundreds of people night after night and help keep more people out of the elements in the first place.

“I am extending this emergency so TriMet will not turn away those traveling to or from emergency shelters and people can get inside and find comfort and support,” said Chair Vega Pederson. “These temperatures combined with wind chill factor can be life-threatening, which is why we’re expanding shelter locations and capacity. No one seeking shelter will be turned away.” 

Beyond shelters, other work ongoing to support the community

The Joint Office of Homeless Services on Wednesday, Feb. 12, will once again meet thresholds to activate its enhanced outreach program. During enhanced outreach, the Joint Office divides the County into zones and works with nonprofit providers and community groups to make sure each zone has one or more teams checking on people without shelter. The teams also deliver life-safety supplies, including warm clothing, blankets and hand warmers.

Since Jan. 10, the Joint Office has provided outreach teams with 5,700 hand warmers, 1,144 hoodies, 1,144 pairs of sweatpants, 5,700 ponchos, 3,420 warm hats, 3,420 pairs of warm gloves, 6,840 pairs of socks, 5,698 wool blankets, 5,430 tarps, 1,034 tents, 1,037 sleeping bags, 5,700 mylar blankets, and 109,348 water bottles.

The County has also been monitoring emergency systems to measure how the weather is impacting the community.

Winter weather is especially dangerous for anyone experiencing houselessness, and can also pose a greater risk for older adults and people with disabilities.

Volunteering to support our warming shelters

During dangerous weather emergencies, Multnomah County opens life-saving Disaster Resource Centers (DRCs) across our community that offer people shelter, safety, resources and connection — especially those who are at greatest risk of harm. We often welcome the support of community members when the need arises. 

If and when the County needs to recruit volunteers from the community, needs will be posted on the “Volunteer at a County emergency shelter” webpage, as well the County’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and X). The volunteer webpage also includes information about upcoming info sessions and training opportunities, as well as emergency shelter roles and their requirements.

Many organizations providing aid to people experiencing homelessness also partner with community volunteers to offer their services and accept community donations. 211info also has a winter-focused donations site.

Severe weather thresholds for opening emergency shelter

County staff monitor weather conditions and other factors, including temperature fluctuations, precipitation, windchill and emergency department visits for hypothermia. Once forecasts show the potential for thresholds to be met, officials meet daily to discuss those weather conditions — consulting with Emergency Management, Health Department, County Human Services and Joint Office experts — and then jointly decide on shelter plans as needed.

Severe weather shelters open as needed when any of the following thresholds are met for any one of the conditions below that are forecasted to persist for four (4) hours or more between the hours of 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.

• Forecast temperature of 25° F (-4° C) or below
• Forecast temperature at or below 32° F (0° C) with 1 inch or more of rain and with sustained winds greater than 10 mph overnight
• Forecast snow accumulation of 1 inch (25 mm) or more over a 24-hour period

The County’s Chief Operating Officer or their designee may consider other conditions or circumstances during a severe weather event that could increase the risk to the community and activate elements included in this standard operating procedure.

The basic thresholds the County uses were first developed and used by the City of Portland, before the Joint Office of Homeless Services was created, when the City served as the lead agency providing severe weather shelter for adults experiencing homelessness. The County has since expanded the thresholds and added a separate cold weather response on nights when thresholds aren’t met.

Cold weather alerts for enhanced outreach

Even when severe weather thresholds aren't met, the Joint Office of Homeless Services may issue a “cold weather alert” as cold and wet conditions warrant. This activates enhanced outreach. Cold weather alerts do not activate the County’s response to open severe weather beds at additional warming shelters.

During enhanced outreach, providers conduct additional and focused outreach to find vulnerable people, and they can quickly obtain and distribute cold weather gear from the Joint Office supply distribution center. Providers will also step up coordination to share information on resources and available shelter. Overflow shelter capacity will be made available to outreach workers, who can refer people in need.

The following conditions lasting for four (4) or more hours overnight activate the highest level of enhanced outreach. In some cases, thresholds may be met only in certain zones; enhanced outreach can be specific to those zones.

• Temperatures forecast to reach 32 degrees or below, without precipitation
• Windchills forecast to reach 25 degrees or below, without precipitation
• Temperatures forecast to reach 34 degrees or below, alongside precipitation of more than one tenth of an inch

Stay informed and check on neighbors

Emergency managers and the Multnomah County Health Officer are advising all community members to get ready. Check on your neighbors: Please knock on the door, make the call, let people know if you’re going to the store and ask how you might help.

Care for When It’s Cold: Up-to-date information from Multnomah County on shelters, safety and support.

211info.org: Up-to-date info on weather conditions, available resources, where to find the nearest available shelter and transportation options. You can also find out where you can donate winter weather items to those who need them. Sign up for Severe 

Winter Weather alerts via email or text by going to 211info’s sign-up page.

National Weather Service: Check weather warnings in the Portland Metro area.

Public Alerts: Sign up to get emergency alerts about safety concerns in your area.

TriMet Alerts: Check for winter weather advisories.

ODOT TripCheck: The Oregon Department of Transportation TripCheck site updates Oregon road conditions and streams live roadside video.