Opportunity Village

 

There are thousands across Oregon who are suffering from housing instability. Permanent Supportive Housing provides a model that brings an opportunity for housing along with services that will enable individuals to stay housed, such as job training and substance abuse treatment. Although the data on its effectiveness so far is limited since it’s a new approach, they can help bring us out of this crisis. 

However, not everyone may feel comfortable going from living on the streets directly to an apartment complex. Additionally, most of these places are already completely full with massive waitlists. That is where places like Opportunity Village come in. They offer an alternative with transitional stability. The residents earn their keep by working on projects around the village to keep it up and running. 

The village helps provide that much needed physical and emotional stability for its residents to plan ahead for the future as they work towards more permanent housing. Several small shelters akin to this village have reported that 50% of their previous residents have since moved into stable housing, which is a great indicator. 

There are of course barriers to such villages, as they are very expensive to start and uphold. Many rely on a mix of public funding, donations, volunteer labor, etc., and these things are often inconsistent. Some communities also push back against these villages in fear that they are too dangerous to have around in their neighborhood.  

Despite these challenges the benefits are clear and cannot be ignored. Places like Opportunity Village provide people the support they need to get their lives back on track. If the state continues to invest in layered solutions like this, we will be better equipped to tackle and reduce homelessness. Click here to learn more.