Portland State University study finds village, motel homeless shelters have better outcomes
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A Portland State University study released in March found better outcomes for homeless people who stayed in alternative shelters, including village-style shelters and motels converted into shelters, compared to traditional shelters.
During the study, commissioned by the Joint Office of Homeless Services, researchers analyzed shelter costs, client experiences in shelters, and client outcomes — saying the findings give more insight into which type of shelters can better serve different populations.
“This research shows that motel and village shelters, which provide private living spaces that support the autonomy, dignity, and safety of clients, lead to better experiences and more positive outcomes than congregate shelters,” said Jacen Greene, assistant director of PSU’s Homeless Research & Action Collaborative.
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During the study, researchers used data on clients who entered shelters (including Portland Safe Rest Villages and JOHS shelters) on or before June 30, 2023, or those who exited a shelter on or after July 1, 2021.
The study found alternative shelters had a higher success rate for moving people into housing, with Safe Rest Villages having the lowest proportion of people who exited back into unsheltered homelessness at 3%, followed by motel shelters at 6%, JOHS villages at 12% and adult congregate shelters at 15%.
Adult congregate shelters may have been the least successful at placing people into housing or keeping people sheltered due to short stays, which reduces the amount of time for shelter staff to build relationships with clients and find pathways to housing, researchers said.
The researchers also found some people experiencing homelessness preferred alternative shelters because they offered more safety and autonomy compared to traditional congregate shelters.
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An alternative shelter client interviewed by the research team explained, “It’s definitely a step above being in a [congregate] shelter where it’s just your basic needs versus this, which feels like there’s a little bit extra, things that we can actually enjoy. I think, again, the social aspect of being around people who are also on the same path. There’s just something about it that really makes me feel like I’m elevating and I’m closer to my goals than before.”
Another alternative shelter client added, “It’s very important to have your own privacy. I could not imagine living in a dorm with three or six other women. I personally wouldn’t be able to do it. And sometimes women will come in with whatever issues, mental or physical, and you know that you can’t fix everything, so you just have to come home and decompress. And it’s nice to have your own space to do that.”
Even though the study found better outcomes from alternative shelters, researchers highlighted the need for different types of shelters to better serve different homeless populations.
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For example, motel shelters can be acquired and opened faster, have similar operating costs to other shelters, and have the flexibility to convert to permanent housing despite having higher initial costs, according to the study.
Researchers added that village shelters may be best for rural and suburban communities with an abundance of unused land and fewer opportunities to buy motels.
Overall, researchers said it’s more cost-effective to transition people into housing compared to shelter.
“We found that placing somebody into housing, paying their rent, and providing supportive services is usually a less costly alternative than any type of temporary shelter, and is the only approach that actually ends homelessness,” Greene said.
When it comes to deciding which types of shelters to build, the researchers said it’s important for shelters to be located near services and amenities, to ensure shelters reduce discrimination in homeless services and housing placement, and for cities to have identity-based shelters, for example, for people with medical issues, women-only shelters, and shelters for the LGBTQ+ community.
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