People who’ve stayed at Portland’s village-style shelters aren’t pleased with how shelter operators handle serious concerns and complaints. That’s according to a survey conducted by the City Ombudsman’s office released Wednesday.
“Feedback we received from shelter guests points to areas that need more attention,” said City Ombudsman Jennifer Croft. “Shelter guests are vulnerable, and it is important that issues such as grievances, decisions about exits [when someone is kicked out of a shelter], and concerns about staff are handled fairly and with due accountability and oversight.”
The report reflects feedback from 228 people who’ve stayed at one of nine city village-style shelters, also called “alternative shelters,” since they began opening in 2023. The city has no official tally of how many people have stayed at these shelters in the years they’ve been open, but the number is likely in the thousands…