The Oregon Community Foundation, on February 4, announced the first Project Turnkey grant distribution.
Project Turkey, authorized by the State through the Legislative Emergency Board, was created with the purpose of acquiring motels and hotels for use as non congregate shelter for people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness.
The first $4.2 million grant will go to Options for Helping Residents of Ashland, a Jackson County-based nonprofit, to acquire a 68-room Super 8 Motel.
Options for Helping Residents of Ashland, intends to use the property as a low-barrier, non congregate facility to house Oregonians experiencing homelessness due to the September 2020 wildfires.
Representative Pam Marsh (D-Ashland), who was instrumental in the creation of the Project Turnkey and led the charge for advocacy, said of the program, “We realized in July we were going to experience an issue with COVID-19 and housing, and the options available were not going to be enough to address the complex issues associated with homelessness.”
Marsh noted her community was looking to purchase a motel to help address issues of homelessness and support needs for residents in crisis. “Then wildfires happened, and with wildfire displacement on top of pandemic and homelessness, urgency grew to do something,” said Marsh.
“The experience we were having in Ashland was duplicated across the state,” she said. So, Marsh stepped forward to collaborate with the Association of Oregon Counties, League of Oregon Cities, Oregon Community Foundation, the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association, and other stakeholders to create the program.
The coalition successfully engaged the Oregon Legislative Emergency Board, securing $65 million, creating potential for 18-20 of these critical shelter projects.
Association of Oregon Counties County Solutions Director, Andy Smith, a key partner in the program’s creation and lobby efforts, says the program will play a significant role in outcomes as the state addresses the housing and homelessness crisis. “In the short term, this rapid effort addresses needs exacerbated by the pandemic and wildfires, creating immediate housing. It also makes a long term impact for communities,” said Smith. He noted the assets would be owned by the communities as a part of longer term strategies to address local housing needs.
Two distinct funds were created for Project Turnkey. One funding, totaling $30 million is dedicated to projects in Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Linn, Lincoln, and Marion counties and tribal communities affected by the 2020 wildfires.
The second fund, totaling $35 million is open to the remaining counties and non-fire affected tribal communities in the state who have been impacted by the pandemic.
In their initial stages, projects qualifying for either fund would address immediate emergency needs either for wildfire impacted Oregonians, COVID-19 isolation, and quarantine, or both. Long-term, the properties would eventually be converted into permanent, supportive housing to address systemic homelessness and the housing crisis facing the state.
The Ashland site was the first wildfire affected county to receive an award and was the first to complete the program’s application process and final due diligence stage. Additional awards are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Click here for more information on Project Turnkey.
If you have questions, please contact Andy Smith.
Contributed by: Megan Chuinard | Public Affairs Associate