Chuck Slothower//January 15, 2019//

A homeless shelter and services center backed by developer Homer Williams is on track to open in Northwest Portland as soon as June 1, according to city and county officials.
Oregon Harbor of Hope, led by Williams and Don Mazziotti, will pay $3.5 million for construction and capital costs. The nonprofit received a $1.5 million contribution from Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle in April 2018.
The city of Portland and Multnomah County, through the Joint Office of Homeless Services, will contribute more than $1 million to cover operating expenses.
The shelter will be located on a city-owned vacant lot slightly north of the Broadway Bridge along Northwest Naito Parkway. The 1.17-acre property sits opposite the Albers Mill Building.
In addition to 100 beds, the tent-like Navigation Center, as it’s called, will provide services such as individual assessments and recovery plans, mental health treatment and housing services.
Public officials had struggled to find a location for the Navigation Center.
“It’s difficult and expensive to find and invest in good sites close to the right services,” Williams stated in a news release. “We’re grateful for our deepening partnership with the Joint Office, and we’re excited we can keep working to make a difference in hundreds of lives.”
A 120-bed shelter on Southeast Foster Road is also expected to open this summer.
Public officials have struggled to respond to rising homelessness in Portland and other West Coast cities. In 2017, 79 people died in Multnomah County while homeless.