St. Andrew's Village
Location: 7600 N. Hereford Avenue, in North Portland
Site partner: St Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Construction parter: Home Building Foundation-HomeAid Portland
Initiation: September 2022
Opening date: Planned for Q2 2025
Capacity: 10 sleeping pods for up to 10 adults
Guests: Adults who are age 45 or older or adults of any age with a physical disability. Priority for those who also identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, or who have been camping in the nearby area.
St. Andrew’s will be WeShine’s third village; its opening is planned for Q2 2025.
How St Andrew’s Village started
In September 2022, WeShine was invited by the congregation and Vicar at St. Andrew’s to present information and propose development of a micro village on one of the Church parking lots. The congregation voted in February 2023 to transform both one lot and the church undercroft (basement) to provide a transitional micro village for unsheltered neighbors. In 2024, the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral joined the WeShine and St. Andrew’s partnership in supporting the St. Andrew’s Community Village.
The undercroft at St. Andrew’s Community Village will include a full kitchen and three bathrooms for village use, as well as a large community meeting room and office space. WeShine will partner with the church to install an ADA lift to provide access for both congregants and villagers.
Neighborhood involvement
WeShine staff and St. Andrew’s congregants and Vicar have worked with nearby property and business owners to develop a draft Good Neighbor Agreement. The Agreement addresses how stakeholders will collaborate to maintain safety and livability within and around the micro village, as well as work together to support villagers’ success. The Good Neighbor Agreement is available to view in draft form.
Partnerships
Home Building Foundation-HomeAid Portland is one of 19 affiliates of HomeAid across the country. HomeAid is an integral part of the fight against homelessness by building housing for charities sheltering people experiencing homelessness. Through collaborative partnerships with the home building industry, HomeAid affiliates develop, build and maintain safe, stable and dignified housing at a fraction of the cost, providing solutions to get those experiencing homelessness into the housing and support they need to get back on their feet. Find more information at www.HomeAid.org.
Volunteer opportunities
Church members and neighbors will be welcomed as volunteers to enhance our sense of community and the quality of life within the village. Volunteers will be supervised and supported by WeShine. See the Volunteer page to learn more.
Meetings
For information about the next Community Meeting, contact Jan@weshinepdx.org.
