Our Town: Downtown Parking | Homeless Camping, Shelter & Resources Update

#BeavertonCityNews

Meet Our New Downtown Parking Ambassadors!

Significant growth in downtown Beaverton has increased vehicle parking demand. To supplement the Beaverton Police Department’s parking compliance efforts, the city has partnered with SP+ for a Downtown Parking Compliance Pilot Program. SP+ also manages the Beaverton Central Garage.

The Downtown Parking Compliance Program’s goal is to encourage use of on-street parking according to existing, posted regulations. This program does not include any new parking regulations but will help provide more efficient use of on-street parking and accommodate the multitude of users in downtown.

To accomplish this, the Parking Ambassadors will use: Significant growth in Downtown Beaverton has increased vehicle parking demand. To supplement the Beaverton Police Department’s parking compliance efforts, the city has partnered with SP+, for a Downtown Parking Compliance Pilot Program. SP+ also manages the Beaverton Central Garage.

Parking Ambassadors will use:

An educational and relationship-building approach.
Marked hybrid vehicles with license plate recognition (LPR) technology.
A combination of official warnings and citations.
Directions to other parking locations and options.

Do you live or work downtown?

Residents should use their building’s on-site parking, as available. For employees and long-term visitors, there are 115 free public parking spaces in the lot at SW 3rd Street and SW Washington Avenue. Thank you for working with us to provide a positive downtown parking experience for everyone!

Have questions? Find out more at www.BeavertonOregon.gov/Parking. You can also email the Community Development Department at parking@BeavertonOregon.gov or leave a message at 503-526-2277.

HB 3115: “Time, Place, and Manner” Requirements on Local Camping Ordinances

In 2021, the Oregon State Legislature adopted House Bill 3115. HB 3115 requires local jurisdictions to ensure their camping ordinances are “objectively reasonable as to time, place, and manner with regards to persons experiencing homelessness.” The city is one of many local jurisdictions considering amendments to its camping ordinances to meet the new requirements of HB 3115 before the law takes effect on Saturday, July 1.

Homelessness is a complex issue. Any solution proposed by a city needs to be multifaceted because homelessness affects a community in many different ways. For most local jurisdictions, amending city ordinances in response to HB 3115 is but one facet of a city’s response to address homelessness. For the City of Beaverton, that means exploring additional homelessness services that may need to run in parallel with these code changes and figuring out how to coordinate services with the larger Washington County community.

The city gathered various internal stakeholders with expertise on the issue and formed an internal work group. The group identified important factors when undertaking this work: management of public spaces , feasibility of enforcement, assessment of social service needs, consultation with neighboring jurisdictions, and engagement of impacted communities.

The city will learn what works and what doesn’t when it implements these requirements in July. The city recognize that these amendments are likely to require adjustments and updates over time. Like other local jurisdictions, the city is committed to learning and improving its approach as new conditions arise.

Year-Round Shelter Development Update

A concept design has been developed for the city’s new year-round shelter planned to open in summer 2024.

The new shelter will feature 12,000 square feet of building space with room for approximately 60 beds, a kitchen and dining area, a reading nook, wellness and exam rooms, on-site storage, covered outdoor spaces, bike and pet areas, and parking for mobile service vans like dental and veterinarian providers.

“We’re excited with the progress underway,” said Senior Development Project Manager Sara King. “With concept design complete, we can now focus on refining the design to ensure that the final product best serves shelter guests, staff, and the surrounding community.”

The shelter will be the first year-round shelter in Beaverton. The city will work with Washington County to select an operator for the shelter this summer. Construction on the property located at 11380-11390 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. is set to begin this fall.

View the concept design and learn more at www.BeavertonOregon.gov/Shelter.

Resources for People Experiencing Homelessness

Summer weather presents challenges for people experiencing homelessness. Here are a few resources that are available to help with meeting basic needs and providing a connection to housing:

Just Compassion of East Washington County: Offers daytime space for adults experiencing homelessness, including breakfast and lunch meals, showers, laundry, and other support services. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 m., 503-624-4666, 12880 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard.
Greater Good NW Library Outreach Worker: Specialized outreach worker to connect library patrons to resources and provide one-on-one support. Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 12375 SW 5th St.
Community Connect: A coordinated entry system that helps people experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness to find housing resources. 503-640-3269.
Care to Share: Coordinated assistance to families and individuals who seek emergency food and other necessities. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 503-591-9025.
2-1-1: An information and referral service that connects people in Oregon and southwest Washington with community resources such as shelter, food, and utility assistance. Call 211 or 503-222-5555. Calls are answered 24/7.
Public restrooms: Portable restrooms available 24/7 for public use at City Park (SW 5th St. and SW Hall Blvd.) and Beaverton City Library (12375 SW 5th St.) parking lot.
Safe Parking Program: Safe, legal place to park for people experiencing homelessness and living out of their vehicles. Call 503-624-4666 for intake.

For more resources and the latest information on available shelters in Beaverton, visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov/BeavertonHomelessnessResponse.