A new shelter designed to support veterans who are experiencing homelessness and recovering from substance use disorders will begin welcoming participants this winter. The Thayer Family Foundation Veterans Shelter will provide 17 shelter beds and support veterans on a path to housing and stability.
In honor of Veterans Day, Multnomah County, Do Good Multnomah, Metro, the Thayer Family Foundation, and other community partners will hold a preview event on Nov. 11 for the new shelter, marking the upcoming opening.
The shelter fills a gap identified by Do Good Multnomah participants, who expressed a need for a safe space specifically for veterans who are in recovery while experiencing homelessness.
“This whole project began with a request from both our participants and staff — our Veterans have been asking for a space like this to be in community as they work toward housing,” said Daniel Hovanas, Chief Executive Officer for Do Good Multnomah. “It is different from other high-barrier shelters in that sobriety is not a ‘have to’ to receive services; instead it's a ‘get to’ –– an intentional choice that the participants are making as they build camaraderie and shape the program for themselves.”
Homelessness among veterans continues to be a challenge in the community. August 2025 data shows that of the 16,089 people experiencing homelessness in Multnomah County, 6% are veterans. And the latest 2025 tri-county Point in Time Count indicates that veteran homelessness is on the rise across Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.
“There are far too many veterans who are, at this very moment, living without a home or shelter in our community. These are our neighbors who answered the call to service to protect freedom and preserve our democracy, and often did so at their own personal cost,” said Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “We are committed to providing the highest level of service to help address the particular needs of veterans experiencing homelessness. This is a place for recovery that represents safety, stability, sobriety and hope for the participants it will serve.”
“Veterans Day has always been an important day for me. My father was a Black Vietnam War Veteran. He struggled with addiction and homelessness throughout his life and did not want to access Veterans Affairs services after being turned away when he returned home. The VA has evolved, and we and the VA need to continue to evolve and ensure our service members are honored and have their needs met,” said Multnomah County Commissioner Shannon Singleton. “This new shelter is a great example of the types of services needed to support the nearly 800 Veterans that we know are currently experiencing homelessness in our community. I am grateful for the work of Do Good Multnomah and the opening of this new space.”
The shelter will be open 24/7 for participants and offer structured, abstinence-based 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 Certified Peer Specialist 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 sustainable housing goals, including application support and connections to resources.
- Food pantry, pet supply pantry, and clothing closet.
- Daily meals.
- Free transportation to all external appointments, provided through TriMet or Lyft.
- Connections to other services.
Program marks another local investment in recovery services
The new shelter is made possible thanks to the voter-approved Metro Supportive Housing Services measure. The County, with funding from the measure, provided a forgivable $500,000 loan to Do Good Multnomah to help with the building’s purchase. Unless the nonprofit fails to provide the agreed-upon shelter services at the location for at least five years, it will not have to pay back the loan.
Multnomah County’s Homeless Services Department has committed an additional $720,785 of Metro Supportive Housing Services dollars for the services and staffing at the shelter.
“We won’t stand idly by while the federal administration makes deep cuts to programs that veterans living in poverty rely on,” Metro Councilor Ashton Simpson said. “Not here. This shelter will extend a hand when others are being pulled away, and that’s going to make all the difference for my fellow veterans. These are people who put their lives on the line to stand up for American values — including democracy. They deserve every ounce of support we can give them.”
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.
“With deep pride in our Oregon roots and an enduring commitment to family and service, the Thayer Family Foundation Veterans Shelter opens its doors to those who’ve given so much. Together, we honor our veterans by helping them find stability, community, and home,” said Tommy Thayer, President of Thayer Family Foundation.
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.
