Salem is doing far more to shelter homeless people than it was a few years ago, with the number of shelter beds available in the city more than tripling since 2018. The city is on track to have 1,000 shelter beds available by the end of the year.
Service providers said the expansion has given them more options to tackle the region’s homelessness challenge, and see the number of new beds as an encouraging sign. But the city’s efforts to fight homelessness are challenged by multiple factors, including rising rents, temporary funding and a worsening drug crisis.
Here are Salem’s current emergency shelters, listed in order of opening date. Information was compiled from the agencies running shelters and prior reporting.
Men’s Mission
The men’s mission is Salem’s largest homeless shelter, located on 777 Commercial St. N.E. After years downtown, the shelter moved in 2021 to a new building, doubling their bed capacity.
Opened: Originally in 1953, new Mission summer of 2021
Bed capacity: 284 beds, up from 150 in old mission downtown
Serves: Men 18 and over
Operated by: Union Gospel Mission, a private religious nonprofit that does not take government funding
Rules and requirements: 4 p.m. check-in, pets allowed, sobriety not required, no possession of substances on site
Average stay: 6 months, although guests can stay up to 2 years
Typical number of beds open: 75 during the summer, 50 in the winter
Waitlist: None
Average time to fill a bed: N/A
Simonka Place
The women’s shelter at 5119 River Road in Keizer has space for women and their children to get case management, behavioral health services and housing support.
Opened: Originally in 1968, moved in 2002
Bed capacity: 86 beds
Serves: Women and children
Operated by: Union Gospel Mission, a private religious nonprofit that does not take government funding
Rules and requirements: Check-in anytime except 6-8 p.m.; only registered service animals; no sobriety requirements, but no substances are allowed on site.
Average stay: 6 months, though guests can stay 2 years if working toward goals; those in life change programs can stay longer
Typical number of beds open: 0
Waitlist: At times family units have a 3 to 6-month waitlist, admissions through referrals or walk-ins.
Average time to fill a bed: 0 days, beds are filled immediately
Confidential domestic violence shelter
The shelter for domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking survivors is one of Salem’s oldest.
Opened: 1978, moved to current location in 2017
Bed capacity: 15 (was 30 pre-Covid pandemic)
Serves: Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking, regardless of gender; including adults with children
Operated by: Center for Hope and Safety, a nonprofit organization that works with domestic violence survivors
Rules and requirements: No drug or alcohol use or substances allowed on-site, pets allowed.
Average stay: 52 days, but ranges from a few days to many months
Typical number of beds open: Mostly full
Waitlist: No waitlist, the Center for Hope and Safety will work to find appropriate shelter for anyone who needs services
Average time to fill a bed: A few hours to a few days
Family Promise Emergency Shelter
The Salem nonprofit works with a network of churches that offer rotational sheltering every week and intensive case management to ensure families in the program stay off the streets.
Opened: 1999
Bed Capacity: 8 families, maximum 30 people
Serves: Families with minor children
Operated by: Family Promise, a Salem nonprofit which is chiefly funded through individual donations
Rules and requirements: Families must pass a background check showing their safety to be around other kids and make forward progress with their case plans
Average stay: 35 days
Typical beds open: 0
Waitlist: Since July 1, 37 families (79 kids, 55 adults) reached out for emergency assistance
Average time to fill a bed: Less than 24 hours.
Taylor’s House
The youth shelter, located at 625 Union St. N.E., houses teens who are homeless or in foster care. They work to help teens get employment, complete high school or a GED, and resolve family problems.
Opened: Dec. 14, 2018
Bed capacity: 10
Serves: Youth 11-18, any gender
Operated by: The ARCHES Project, the housing division of Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, one of the region’s largest nonprofit social service providers which is chiefly funded through government grants
Rules and requirements: 24/7 check-in, no illegal substances are allowed on the premises, service or emotional support animals allowed
Average stay: 130 days, but varies widely from one night to 10 months
Typical number of beds open: Varies with season, try to keep 2 emergency beds open at all times
Waitlist: No waitlist; first-come, first-served. Do not accept walk-ins but do accept self-referrals by phone or community partner referrals
Average time to fill a bed: Around 2 to 7 days
SafeSleep United
A low-barrier women’s shelter. They are currently in transition to expand capacity from 19 to 50 people, with renovations set to be completed by the end of 2023.
Opened: Dec. 15, 2019
Bed capacity: 17 (down from 19 due to renovations), increasing to 50 in January
Serves: Adult women
Operated by: United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley, a Salem nonprofit which is chiefly funded through private donations, with government grants supporting the shelter expansion
Rules and requirements: Low barrier, pets allowed, no sober requirements
Average stay: 48 days, but ranges from a night to a year
Typical number of beds open: N/A
Waitlist: Get people in within a week or two, refer people by word of the month, call them on their own, use a waitlist
Average time to fill a bed: N/A
Tanner Project
An emergency shelter for homeless veterans located at 2933 Center St. N.E. focused on getting people into secure or transitional housing.
Opened: Nov. 1, 2020
Bed capacity: 36
Serves: Unsheltered veterans regardless of gender with a preference for women veterans
Operated by: The ARCHES Project, the housing division of Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, one of the region’s largest nonprofit social service providers chiefly funded through government grants
Rules and requirements: Low barrier, must be verified veteran with active duty service time, pets allowed, 10 p.m. curfew, couples must both be veterans
Average stay: 9 months
Typical number of beds open: 10
Waitlist: Usually no waitlist
Average time to fill a bed: 1 – 2 weeks
Village of Hope
A low barrier micro-shelter village at 1280 Center St N.E. with 40 shelters and space for 80 adults.
Opened: April 18, 2021
Bed capacity: 80
Serves: Adults ages 18 to 65
Operated by: Church @ The Park, a Salem nonprofit founded in 2007 which expanded into micro shelter villages in 2021. Shelter villages are funded through contracts with the city of Salem.
Barriers or requirements: Low barrier, pets allowed, couples can stay together, no sobriety requirement but can not use on-site
Average stay: 6 to 9 months
Typical number of beds open: N/A
Waitlist: 760
time to fill a bed: A few days
Family micro shelter site at Catholic Community Services
Opened: Sept. 6, 2021
Bed capacity: 132
Serves: Families with children
Operated by: Church @ The Park, a Salem nonprofit founded in 2007 which expanded into micro shelter villages in 2021. Shelter villages are funded through contracts with the city of Salem.
Barriers or requirements: Low barrier, no sobriety requirements, but cannot use on-site, pets allowed, families can stay together
Average stay: 6 to 9 months
Typical number of beds open: N/A
Waitlist: 63
Average time to fill a bed: A few days
ARCHES Inn
Located at 1288 Hawthorne Ave N.E., the shelter is a low-barrier emergency shelter for adults prioritizing wildfire survivors, chronically homeless people, and medically fragile people.
Opened: Dec. 7, 2021
Bed capacity: 68 rooms with about 80 beds
Serves: Unsheltered adults, medically fragile people, co-ed
Operated by: The ARCHES Project, the housing division of Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, one of the region’s largest nonprofit social service providers which is chiefly funded through government grants
Rules or requirements: Low barrier, 10 p.m. curfew, pets allowed, couples allowed
Average stay: Expected 90 days, unless medical respite
Typical number of beds open: 10
Waitlist: Admission through a coordinated entry process or medical referral from a healthcare provider
Average time to fill a bed: Five business days
Mosaic Shelter
Opened: December 2021
Bed capacity: 45
Serves: Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking, regardless of gender; including adults with children
Operated by: Center for Hope and Safety, a nonprofit organization that works with domestic violence survivors
Rules or requirements: No drug or alcohol use or substances allowed on-site, pets allowed
Average stay: 52 days, but ranges from a few days to many months
Typical number of beds open: Mostly full
Waitlist: No waitlist, the Center for Hope and Safety will work to find appropriate shelter for anyone who needs services
Average time to fill a bed: A few hours to a few days
Navigation Center
A new low-barrier open bay sleeping shelter located at 1185 22nd St. S.E. designed to shelter chronically homeless people.
Opened: June 1, 2023
Bed capacity: 75 people
Served: Unsheltered adults, co-ed
Operated by: The ARCHES Project, the housing division of Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, under a contract funded by the city of Salem
Rules or requirements: Low barrier, pets allowed, open bay for sleeping, curfew at 10 p.m., couples allowed but sleep in separate areas
Average stay: Expected 90 days
Typical number of beds open: N/A
Waitlist: Admission through a coordinated entry or law enforcement referral
Average time to fill a bed: 0 days
ARCHES Lodge
This yet-to-open shelter is located at 1875 Fisher Rd. N.E. and will be a 90-day low barrier shelter similar to ARCHES Inn.
Opening: Fall 2023
Bed capacity: 72 rooms, space for about 84 people
Serves: Unsheltered adults and refugee households, coed, can take minors if a part of a household
Operated by: The ARCHES Project, the housing division of Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, one of the region’s largest nonprofit social service providers which is chiefly funded through government grants
Rules or requirements – Low barrier, 10 p.m. curfew, pets allowed, couples and families allowed
Young Adult Micro Shelter Community
Located at 2410 Turner Rd. S.E., this micro shelter community to serve unsheltered young adults is set to house its first people in mid-September, according to Church at the Park’s most recent newsletter.
Bed capacity: 40
Serves: Young adults 18 to 24
Operated by: Church @ The Park, a Salem nonprofit founded in 2007 which expanded into micro shelter villages in 2021, funded through state grants
Rules or requirements: Low barrier, no sobriety requirements, can not use on-site, pets allowed
Contact reporter Natalie Sharp: [email protected] or 503-522-6493.
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Natalie Sharp is an Oregon State University student working as a reporter for Salem Reporter in summer 2023. She is part of the Snowden internship program at the University of Oregon's School of Communication and Journalism.
