New storage space opens in Old Town Portland, giving homeless people much-needed relief

PORTLAND, Ore. — On a sidewalk near a set of streetcar tracks, homeless people sit stuck, surrounded by bags. 

“It’s heavy. I got to carry so much weight,” Daniella said of her sleeping bags and blankets. “Sometimes, I’ll miss meals and stuff because it’s just too much weight to get there.”

However, some relief is finally here: Across the street on Northwest 5th Avenue and Glisan Street is a new brick-and-mortar building for homeless people to store things during the day, which opened this week.

John was one of the first to take part, dropping off some clothes and other possessions. That gives him the freedom to take on other tasks, such as finding a job. 

“Going to the Central City employment center to take care of that and a dentist appointment — I got to find a dentist,” John said.

The city of Portland hired Central City Concern — a local organization helping those struggling with addiction and homelessness — to run the new storage space. 

It’s open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Outreach workers will be on site twice a week, connecting people with services. Abandoned property will be stored for at least 30 days before being disposed of, recycled or donated.

“Having this storage just a block away is really an answer to our prayers,” said Scott Kerman, who runs Blanchet House a popular day center in Old Town. “I think it’s going to be a much more dignified environment for people to store their belongings, which is really crucial.”

Previously, a large, green shipping container under the Steel Bridge is where homeless people once stored their things. That space is closing on Dec. 18. A handwritten sign warns people they have less than a week to pick up their belongings.

“It used to just be bags in a cubicle; now, they give you a container to put it in, but the container happens to be a garbage can,” John said of the new space in Old Town. 

“Anything that can relieve stress off the community would probably help,” added Mitchell, who is also homeless.

The old storage site along the waterfront was known to attract drug use and campsites. People are hoping things will be different at the new site, seeing as Central City Concern will be working with the homeless people there, offering low-barrier job opportunities and having outreach teams on site.