NAITO VILLAGE

Colorful mural of a smiling woman with a flower crown, rainbow, and clouds in the background, with a quote that reads 'You never completely have your rights, one person, until you all have your rights.'

Established 2021

Location: SW Portland
Number of Units: 35

The Naito Village is an alternative shelter that supports LGBTQIA2S+ individuals experiencing houselessness. The Queer and Trans community within the Naito Village are a vibrant group of artists and makers who care deeply for those struggling within systems of oppression, and therefore aims to dismantle cultures of oppression. The Naito Village is the only village setting of its kind that specifically focuses its service delivery to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer folks, which uniquely positions the community to collaborate with one another as they face similar barriers. Participants at the Naito Village hope to contribute to the expansion of LGBTQ culturally-specific sheltering services to interrupt intergenerational traumas that affect the LGBTQ community. By functioning as an intentional community, this shelter provides community care and an opportunity for LGBTQ folks without houses to have a safe place to be together while they work towards their goals.

  • Culturally specific housing is designed and tailored to meet the unique needs, preferences, and cultural backgrounds of specific ethnic or cultural communities.

    Queer Affinity Village is a culturally-specific shelter site, meaning that the vast majority of participants and staff identify as LGBTQIA2S+

  • Safe Rest Villages are alternative shelters that serve as improved points of entry for Portlanders on the continuum from living on the streets to finding stability in permanent housing. All Safe Rest Villages include case management with wraparound behavioral and mental health services.  Safe Rest Villages are not sites or unmanaged tent or vehicle camping—they address unmanaged camping. 

    - City of Portland, "Safe Rest Villages Program Overview"

  • Our vision is to transform lives, communities and futures through holistic resource navigation.

    Every participant who walks through a Sunstone Way shelter door has access to a variety of wrap-around services, including behavioral health care, case management, resource navigation, and peersupport. We pride ourselves on setting up each participant to have consistent and regular contact with a dedicated, compassionate, and trauma-informed team. This builds trust and sets a path for reducing stress and building resiliency, allowing them to move forward on the path to hope and housing.

  • We meet participants where they are - encouraging them as they set their own goals and supporting them as they work to accomplish those goals.