Dear Friends and Supporters,

We need your help.

The City of Portland declared a housing and homelessness State of Emergency which is currently set to expire in April 2021 but is expected to be extended. The declaration allows Portland City Council to grant a zoning variance for the Bybee Lakes Hope Center.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has expressed his support of the project and agreed to present the zoning variance request at a Portland City Council meeting in the coming weeks. We’re hoping for unanimous support, but we need three votes from the City Council to approve the variance. These votes will allow us to apply for building and occupancy permits and open Bybee Lakes Hope Center by the end of the year.

COVID-19 has accelerated the need for services in a city already struggling with heartbreaking rates of homelessness.

We must act now.

We need your voice.

Please voice your support for Bybee Lakes Hope Center to Portland City Council. Email addresses for City Council members and Mayor Wheeler are at the bottom of this email. With your help, we can make sure City Council votes to accurately reflect the voices of their constituents.

Tips for your message:
-Speak from your heart! Show your City Council why this matters to you and to Portland.
-Specifically ask them to vote YES on granting Bybee Lakes Hope Center zoning approval.
-Be respectful.
-Keep it brief. A handful of concise sentences is best.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few ideas:
Helping Hands has an 18-year track record of serving people who are experiencing homelessness and a history of converting existing buildings into transitional housing facilities with long-term, sustainable programs.

Helping Hands’ programs are always optional. Individuals and families experiencing homelessness can seek a referral to access services, but will never be forced to participate.
City Council has the opportunity to allow this property to serve the community members who voted to fund its construction over 15 years ago.

Bybee Lakes Hope Center is 100% privately funded to date and has no plans to compete for local city or county funding.
Helping Hands has raised funding to renovate the property and to operate for a minimum of two years. They won’t be asking the City for a bailout later.
Your voice matters. Together, we can make a difference.

Thank you for your continued support.

With gratitude,
The Helping Hands & Bybee Lakes Hope Center Team
Email addresses published on the City of Portland website:

Councilor JoAnn Hardesty: JoAnn@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Amanda Fritz: amanda@portlandoregon.gov
Councilor Chloe Eudaly: chloe@portlandoregon.gov
Mayor Ted Wheeler: mayorwheeler@portlandoregon.gov

For additional information, see https://www.bybeelakeshopecenter.com/