HOPE Plaza will offer 20 apartments in downtown Salem for survivors of domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking. A ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, Aug. 16, celebrated the community members who made the project happen.
HOMELESSNESS
Unclaimed Salem veteran to be buried with full military honors
On Tuesday, Aug. 13, Keith Thomas Skiba will be buried with full military honors at Willamette National Cemetery. The service is open to the public, and funeral directors hope it will help establish a homeless veteran’s burial program in Salem.
BUILDING SALEM: Veterans housing opens in Grant Neighborhood
After a yearslong development effort, veterans experiencing homelessness will begin moving into new apartments at the historic Evergreen Church this month.
Sheila’s Dream to provide homeless families place to find their footing
The first family has already moved into a new building expansion at St. Francis Family Housing, funded entirely by community donors. The expansion added five new apartments to help homeless families transition to stable housing.
As Salem’s homeless services grow quickly, disagreements emerge on overhead spending
A regional government agency that oversees homeless services in Marion and Polk counties is hiring more employees with an influx of state and federal money, prompting discussions about what the future of the agency should look like.
Half of city navigation center residents moved into permanent housing, report says
In its first year of operation, 54 residents at Salem’s navigation center were able to move into housing within months, according to a new annual report from operators. It’s a higher success rate than other local shelter programs, but funding for the center currently runs out in June 2025.
Developers break ground on secure behavioral health facility in east Salem
A new 16-bed behavioral health facility in east Salem is expected to open next summer. It will serve patients often caught in a cycle of homelessness, incarceration and hospital visits, organizers said.
Salem micro shelters secure millions from state to stay open
Church at the Park announced Wednesday that all three of its Salem micro shelter sites, hosting 250 people, will remain open at least another year using state grants.
Unsheltered Salemites report frequent discrimination, annual city survey finds
Salem’s 2024 community belonging survey looked at where and how often people experience discrimination in Salem, and their comfort level reporting bias crimes to the Salem Police Department.
COLUMN: The bravest people I know
Columnist Lynelle Wilcox, who runs the SafeSleep United shelter in Salem, shares a story of finding housing and the challenges that come with it.
