Category Homelessness
Church at the Park expansion to give dozens of unsheltered seniors a place to rest
On Thursday, June 25, Church at the Park celebrated the completion of its Village of Hope microshelter expansion, which added 35 beds and increased accessibility to the central Salem site. The project aims to get more people off a waitlist of 3,000 people, amid rising rates of senior homelessness.
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Hoy, business leaders pull out of effort to make it easier to sweep homeless encampments
A statewide petition led by Salem Mayor Julie Hoy sought to repeal a state law that requires cities and counties to be “objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner,” when clearing a homeless encampment from a public place. After state officials required the petition’s backers to change the ballot's title and description, they dropped the effort.
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East Salem church site to continue legacy of service through affordable housing, food pantry
Despite having a congregation that has dwindled to fewer than 20 people, the Trinity United Methodist Church in east Salem is known for running the busiest food bank in the city. Faced with imminent closure, the congregation turned to the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency. After selling the property to the agency, the church will stay open, the food bank will expand and Salem will get over 100 more affordable apartments.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Behind Salem Reporter’s ride-alongs with the REACH Team
Reporter Madeleine Moore reflects on her recent article on the new team responding to behavioral health crises around Salem, diving into her experiences with the team across two ride-alongs.
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Salem Reporter wins regional journalism award for “Sentenced to the Sidewalk” series
Abbey McDonald’s investigative series on the death of an unsheltered woman in Salem won first place in the 2025 Northwest Excellence in Journalism competition. It is one of the most competitive regional Society of Professional Journalists regional contests in the nation. Reporter Hailey Cook placed second in a photo category for her photos at a Soup Squad meal distribution.
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One year later, emotional wounds from UGM mass stabbing continue to heal
It has been one year since 12 people were injured in a mass stabbing at Salem’s Union Gospel Mission. After changes to security and city policy, the emotional toll remains the biggest challenge for shelter staff and guests.
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One person at a time, new team eases homelessness, crises on Salem’s streets
SPECIAL REPORT: Following a push by city officials to address homelessness, a new team is connecting with people in crisis on Salem's streets. Results are encouraging, officials say. Salem Reporter got an exclusive look at the team, shadowing its members over two days.
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Marion County officials suggest unsolved murders, buried victims mar Wallace Marine Park
Marion County officials pushed to shut down homeless camping in Wallace Marine Park by spooling out graphic accounts of crime. They cited an unknown witness to claim murder victims were buried in the park soil. A Salem Reporter investigation established the county can’t back up that claim.
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‘I lost it all’: Residents of Oregon homeless camp say Forest Service blew off calls, appointments to reclaim lost property
Former residents of one of Oregon’s largest homeless encampments say they lost cars, work tools, irreplaceable family photos and other items as the U.S. Forest Service evicted people from federal land outside of Bend.