First Project Turnkey 2.0 site chosen; building donated by Lincoln City to become shelter, transitional housing

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Oregon Community Foundation announced Monday the first emergency housing site for Project Turnkey 2.0, the second iteration of the state-funded grant program administered by OCF, which aims to increase the state’s supply of emergency and transitional housing.  

Helping Hands Reentry Outreach Centers (Helping Hands) has been awarded $977,000 in Project Turnkey 2.0 grant funding to complete the final phase of renovation to a building donated by the City of Lincoln City in 2019 for the purpose of creating emergency shelter and transitional housing.  

“These services are so vital in every community when addressing the needs of those that are experiencing homelessness,” said Alan Evans, Founder and President of Helping Hands, “It is because of partnerships, that we are able to bring this facility to Lincoln City.”  Mike Davis, CEO of Helping Hands adds “Thank you, Oregon Community Foundation, for selecting Helping Hands to receive the final funds needed to complete this project.” 

Helping Hands will renovate the property to create both emergency shelter space and longer-term transitional housing units. When complete, the “Lincoln City HOPE Center at the LeRoy Benham campus” will provide 69 beds, including 12-14 emergency beds and 55 transitional housing in dormitory style rooms for 3-4 people per room. There are also two rooms for participants with children.  

The total cost of renovation is estimated at $1.9 million, with the remaining $600,000 being provided through a 0% interest loan over 20 years from the City of Lincoln City, and $325,000 in grants from foundations.  

This is a unique grant in that it is for the final phase of renovation only, as Helping Hands has already been gifted the building from the City of Lincoln City.  

Project Turnkey 2.0 aims to stand up approximately 10 emergency shelters in the state by identifying appropriate properties. To help meet the unique needs of specific communities, allowable property types expanded in the legislative language ¾ it is no longer just the conversion of hotels and motels.

“We are seeing many creative proposals for repurposing existing properties. These include duplexes and triplexes, vacant apartment complexes, and even vacant commercial buildings,” said Megan Loeb, Senior Program Officer, Economic Vitality and Housing, Oregon Community Foundation. “The flexibility provided in this round of state funding helps to better address some of the unique housing needs of specific communities, including rural places.”  

Properties will be owned and operated by local nonprofit organizations and entities (such as cities, counties, or tribes) that will provide safe housing as well as critical support, including access to medical and social services, computers, laundry facilities, meals and more. Additional Project Turnkey 2.0 sites are expected to be announced in mid-February 2023. 

About Helping Hands Reentry Outreach Centers (Helping Hands) 

The mission of Helping Hands Reentry Outreach Centers (Helping Hands) is to provide a helping hand to a sustainable life through Resources, Recovery, and Reentry. Helping Hands provides trauma-informed, data-driven, person-centered homeless services within locations in Clatsop, Lincoln, Multnomah, Tillamook and Yamhill counties in Oregon. To learn more, please visit: https://helpinghandsreentry.org/shelter-services. 

About Project Turnkey 2.0 (2022-2023) 

Based on the success of the Project Turnkey 1.0, and in the face on ongoing need for emergency shelter, on March 4, 2022, the Oregon Legislature allocated $50 million in new funding for more emergency shelters around the state for Project Turnkey 2.0.  

“Project Turnkey 2.0 is an innovative solution that will help address one of Oregon’s most prolonged challenges — our housing crisis,” said OHCS Director Andrea Bell.  “Our commitment and collective responsibility to the people of Oregon is to find solutions that are real and are proven to work.” 

To learn more: Oregon Community Foundation and Oregon Housing and Community Services Poised to Launch Project Turnkey 2.0 with $50M in State Funding.  

OCF and OHCS Roles 

Oregon Community Foundation serves as the grantor and fiduciary, administering state-funded Project Turnkey 2.0 grants with guidance from a diverse statewide Advisory Committee. OCF offers support for Oregon’s housing needs along a continuum — from shelter to supportive housing to affordable housing to equitable home ownership — through a variety of tools, including research, grants, advocacy, and low-interest loans. OCF’s administration of Project Turnkey 2.0 is one example of the innovative, collaborative approaches launched to help more Oregonians find stable, affordable housing. 

Oregon Housing and Community Services provides advice and support for OCF as the State’s Housing Finance Agency. Additionally, OHCS has received resources to administer funds to the recipients of Project Turnkey 2.0 grants. This includes ongoing monitoring and oversight of these funds and the projects they support. 

Background 

In 2020 the Oregon Legislature allocated a total of $65 million for Project Turnkey (1.0), for the purpose of acquiring motels/hotels for use as safe shelter for people experiencing homelessness, at-risk of homelessness or displaced by wildfires. In less than seven months, Project Turnkey 1.0 created 19 new shelters in 13 counties, leading to a 20% increase in the state supply of shelter beds. Each property is locally owned and operated by a local nonprofit organization or entity (such as city or county).  

To learn more, please visit: https://oregoncf.org/assets/PDFs-and-Docs/PDFs/project-turnkey-report.pdf  

About Oregon Housing and Community Services 

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) provides resources for Oregonians to reduce poverty and increase access to stable housing. OHCS focuses on both housing and community services to serve Oregonians holistically across the housing continuum, including preventing and ending homelessness, assisting with utilities, providing housing stability support, financing multifamily affordable housing and encouraging homeownership. To learn more, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs. 

About Oregon Community Foundation 

Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) was founded in 1973 with a big mission: to improve the lives of all Oregonians through the power of philanthropy. In partnership with donors and volunteers, OCF works to strengthen communities in every county in Oregon through research, grantmaking and scholarships. In 2022, OCF distributed more than $180 million, supporting 3,500 grantees and awarding more than 3,000 scholarships. With OCF, individuals, families, businesses, and organizations create charitable funds that meet the needs of diverse communities statewide. 

2023 marks OCF’s 50th anniversary. Since its founding, OCF has distributed more than $2.2 billion in community investments, including grants to 10,850 nonprofits and 53,375 scholarships to students. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations can work with OCF to create charitable funds to support causes important to them. To learn more, please visit: oregoncf.org.