Oregon's Project Turnkey 2020 - 2023 Report to the Legislature
An unprecedented investment in our shared future — a swift, smart, statewide response to Oregon’s housing crisis that effectively converted underused or vacant real estate into safe shelter and a fresh start for thousands of unhoused Oregonians.
Project Turnkey is an example of a hopeful solution that is driven by local communities and supported by public-private partnership. The Oregon Legislature provided a total of $125 million to acquire Oregon motels, hotels, and other existing structures to provide shelter and transitional housing for our most vulnerable neighbors. The Oregon Legislature entrusted Oregon Community Foundation to serve as Project Turnkey’s administrator.
In just over three years, this public-private initiative has delivered powerful returns on the state’s investment:
- More than 121,000 nights of refuge and stabilizing services for over
- 2,000 adults and children.1
- Locally owned assets designed to meet unique community needs in
- 27 cities and 18 counties.
- A cost-effective, equitable and replicable model for short-term shelter and transitional housing that helps people navigate personal challenges and return to permanent housing.
“Project Turnkey allows a stairstepping for individual needs and where they’re at. It truly is this middle ground that can help people figure out where the right long-term placement is.”
Project Turnkey Grantee
Today, there are 32 total Turnkey shelters, located in nearly every region of Oregon — from Astoria to Ontario, Chiloquin to The Dalles.
Early data analyzed by OHCS suggests that people who seek shelter at one of them are more likely to move on to permanent housing than those who use other kinds of shelters. This effort has increased Oregon’s permanent shelter supply by 30%, resulting in 1,382 new units of shelter and housing. Each site is locally owned and operated.
In housing and any other public challenge that Oregon faces now or in the future, Project Turnkey’s success should serve as both an example and roadmap for how we get big things done.
Oregon Community Foundation is pleased to share the outcome of our endeavor to support Oregonians through Project Turnkey.