Community Supported Shelters (CSS) was founded in 2013 to address the need for safe and secure shelter for people experiencing homelessness. In November of 2013, we first proposed our Safe Spot Community Program to the City of Eugene. The City accepted our proposal, offering a low-cost alternative for legal tent shelters to serve more people. Nine years later, as of September 2022, we have 8 full-sized Safe Spots, 5 micro-sites, and a scattering of individual Huts. Each full-sized Safe Spot hosts up to 18-20 people. Full-sized Safe Spot Communities provide clients with a kitchen (including water and a propane stove), a covered, wood-heated “commons” gathering space, garbage service, portable toilets, and a solar-powered charging station for mobile devices. Clients can leave their belongings safely stored behind a chain-link fence with a locked gate and/or in their own locked Conestoga Hut. They are welcome to stay in Safe Spots for up to 2 years. Safe Spots have served 120-170 people yearly since 2014. To date, roughly 60% of clients have moved on to a better situation.
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Industry
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Non-profit Organizations
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Company size
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11-50 employees
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Headquarters
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Eugene, Oregon
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Type
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Nonprofit
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Founded
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2013
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Specialties
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Transitional Shelters, Low-Barrier Shelters, Housing Navigation, Peer Support, and Conestoga Huts