Clackamas Veterans Village opens 15 pods to homeless

Program participants have been afforded permanent housing, jobs, college and other services

Clackamas County's Veterans Village -- a transitional shelter community for homeless veterans — is showing tremendous signs of success just months after opening in the urban unincorporated Clackamas area.

The Veterans Village is made up of 15 small wooden pods that resemble tiny homes, each with one small bed and closet space. The pods have no electricity, running water or heat, but they do have battery-powered lights for reading. Residents share a communal kitchen and shower area toward the front of the property.

The goal of the innovative project is to provide decent, safe and sanitary shelter for the county's homeless veterans so they can transition to being self-sufficient. Each resident gets to stay in their own pod, can access the shared community spaces and can take advantage of needed services.

After nearly two years of efforts by county staff, nonprofits, businesses, volunteers and others, homeless veterans started moving into the village on Oct. 4, 2018.

Click here to read the full story by the Canby Herald.