Post by Jason Fifield
After an inspiring collaboration involving many businesses, designers, non-profits, contractors, and government agencies, the Clackamas County Veteran's Village is up and running! The process began with Clackamas County government listening to concerned citizens about the alarming number of veterans in their community experiencing houselessness. Clackamas County responded by designating an under-utilized county-owned property in an industrial area as a location for a village for houseless veterans. The county also providing funding for site development, design, and construction of this unique community of sleeping pods. In addition to a total of thirty sleeping pods (divided between two phases), the program for the village includes shared restrooms, laundry, showers, offices, meeting space, kitchen, dining, gardens, and a workshop.
The pods themselves began as trusses built by students at the Portland State University Center for Public Interest Design, which were assembled to create the Treeline Stage at the 2017 Pickathon Music Festival. The stage was then deconstructed and the trusses became the primary component for the construction of the pods. The original pod design was provided by SRG Partnership as part their involvement with the POD Initiative. Communitecture then adapted the pod design to be permitted under the 2017 Oregon Residential Specialty Code using alternate means and methods for permit approval. Born and Raised Construction oversaw the construction of the pods, which was completed by volunteer labor organized by our friends at the City Repair Project. Pacific Mobile Structures provided the common buildings.
Communitecture worked closely with Catholic Charities and Clackamas County, along with our design consultants James G. Pierson (Structural), Marshall HIlton Design (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing), and AKS (Civil) to achieve the required Conditional Use approval and building permits to bring the project to completion with Clackamas County's goal of following typical development standards. The success of the village is evident, as several veterans have already transitioned to permanent housing as a result of their time at the village. At a recent site visit, I spoke with one such villager who said he greatly appreciated the approach Clackamas County has taken by offering "a hand up, not a hand out." We are also very appreciative of Clackamas County's dedication to this issue, and we are thrilled that this can serve as an example of the village model for those in need of shelter. A special thanks to Do Good Multnomah, who is operating the facility.
Next steps for the village are intended to include the completion of a workshop, which would then be used by the villagers to build the second round of fifteen pods as part of a construction skills training program.
Photos of the completed project by Adams Real Estate Photography and VueSpace 3D.
The pods themselves began as trusses built by students at the Portland State University Center for Public Interest Design, which were assembled to create the Treeline Stage at the 2017 Pickathon Music Festival. The stage was then deconstructed and the trusses became the primary component for the construction of the pods. The original pod design was provided by SRG Partnership as part their involvement with the POD Initiative. Communitecture then adapted the pod design to be permitted under the 2017 Oregon Residential Specialty Code using alternate means and methods for permit approval. Born and Raised Construction oversaw the construction of the pods, which was completed by volunteer labor organized by our friends at the City Repair Project. Pacific Mobile Structures provided the common buildings.
Communitecture worked closely with Catholic Charities and Clackamas County, along with our design consultants James G. Pierson (Structural), Marshall HIlton Design (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing), and AKS (Civil) to achieve the required Conditional Use approval and building permits to bring the project to completion with Clackamas County's goal of following typical development standards. The success of the village is evident, as several veterans have already transitioned to permanent housing as a result of their time at the village. At a recent site visit, I spoke with one such villager who said he greatly appreciated the approach Clackamas County has taken by offering "a hand up, not a hand out." We are also very appreciative of Clackamas County's dedication to this issue, and we are thrilled that this can serve as an example of the village model for those in need of shelter. A special thanks to Do Good Multnomah, who is operating the facility.
Next steps for the village are intended to include the completion of a workshop, which would then be used by the villagers to build the second round of fifteen pods as part of a construction skills training program.
Photos of the completed project by Adams Real Estate Photography and VueSpace 3D.
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