(Astoria, OR) — The Tuesday, Oct. 3, ribbon cutting of the Columbia Inn Shelter celebrated a new resource for individuals and families facing homelessness.
“This shelter opening brings to life one of the core goals of Clatsop County’s strategic plan where the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners recognized the great need for housing in our community, ranging from shelter services to affordable housing,” said Mark Kujala, Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Chair.
“The Columbia Inn will provide a place of refuge for individuals and families who need and want to regain their foothold in our community. This will be that important first step to stabilizing their lives and beginning to build a solid future for themselves and their loved ones. This ribbon-cutting speaks to the power and momentum that comes when people come together to address a human need.”
The Columbia Inn is one part of a multi-prong, county-wide approach to meet transitional and permanent housing needs. The County will contract with Clatsop Community Action to operate the facility. CCA will in turn collaborate with a number of social service providers including The Harbor and Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare.
“Clatsop County has one of the highest populations of homeless people in Oregon and by offering the Columbia Inn Shelter, we will make a positive impact on so many lives,” said Viviana Matthews, executive director of Clatsop Community Action which will administer the Columbia Inn.
“Homelessness is a community issue and I am proud to be part of a community whose goal is to help everyone thrive and that wants to help our most vulnerable members,” she said.
The Columbia Inn Shelter is a result of Project Turnkey 2.0, a State of Oregon initiative launched in 2020 which funded the purchase of 32 new shelter properties in 18 counties.