A three-month pause has been placed on the East County Homelessness Resource Center. (Courtesy image: Multnomah County)

Regional leaders have paused controversial plans to open a homeless resource center in East Multnomah County.

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, alongside Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon, called for a 90-day pause on construction plans for the homelessness facility within the former Cook Plaza building, 19421 S.E. Stark St.

“There continues to be a great need for these resources in East County,” Vega Pederson said. “We are committed to staying at the table with elected leaders and the community to make sure our strategic visions align so that we can move these resources forward together.”

The County purchased the building, a former state employment office, in December 2022. The center has been used as a severe weather shelter multiple times. Last September the board of commissioners unanimously approved renovations.

The proposed East County Homelessness Resource Center at Cook Plaza offers drop-in day services and a 24/7 shelter.

Proponents pitch it as a true hub. Hygiene services and case management; 28 shelter pods in an adjoining lot set up in a village-style for up to 42 people; 90 extra beds for weather emergencies; and communal areas both indoors and outside.

Crews began the $8.4 million renovation project in 2023. The goal was a 2026 debut.

Hub for Debate

Community pushback focused on its location. The center is planned near Davis Elementary School, less than a quarter mile from Cook Plaza. Youths also attend programs across the street at the Salvation Army.

“While we recognize the importance of providing resources for the houseless community, we have serious safety concerns,” wrote Rockwood Families PDX, the group that started a petition in opposition.

There was precedent to their concerns. When a nearby church bolstered its services for homeless people, neighbors say there were a rash of incidents. Children on their way to school faced enough dangerous interactions that the church ultimately canceled the program.

Those behind the center said many of those “well-meaning concerns” were unfounded. Because the center is planned for referral only, it wouldn’t have long lines of folks waiting to get in. The entrance was also purposefully set on the opposite side of a student walking route and bus stop.

“This will have a professional provider with adequate resources and staffing to address the concerns from the neighborhood while supporting people with nowhere else to go,” said Zach Kearl, management analyst for the Joint Office of Homeless Services.

While more beds are part of a county-wide shelter strategy, leaders said the landscape of resources and needs in Gresham and the surrounding communities had changed. The development of other homeless services facilities, particularly in Rockwood, spurred the pause.

“We heard loud and clear from East County leaders their need to be meaningfully involved to ensure investments are made where they are needed most,” said Commissioner Jones-Dixon. “I felt it was critical to be responsive to this feedback.”

During the pause Jones-Dixon will convene elected leaders and community stakeholders to co-create a path forward for a resource center.