Need Help?

Let's get you into shelter

People interested in obtaining shelter within a Safe Spot Community are able to sign up at CSS’s main office located at 1160 Grant Street in Eugene. Walk-in hours are Tue-Fri, 1-4 pm.

Intentional community is at the heart of everything we do.

 

We foster group-living environments called Safe Spot Communities, where individuals can access shelter, sleep, food, water, restrooms, and human connection. We meet you where you are and allow you to set your own goals, whether that be permanent housing, sobriety, employment, or improved quality of life. Safe Spot Communities provide:

How It Works

Eligibility

Our approach is low-barrier, meaning we provide a safe place of shelter for those who may have no other options.


• 18 or older

• ID is not required

• Can have substance abuse disorder, but no drugs or alcohol are permitted within Safe Spot Communities

• Contact us if you have a physical disability, and we'll let you know if we're able to accommodate your individual needs

• We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, religion, language, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, criminal history, or political beliefs


For questions about eligibility, email office@cssoregon.org or call our office at 541-683-0836.

Who We Serve

The CSS Experience

Safe Spot Communities are fenced group-living sites for alternative shelter. Each community has up to 18 Conestoga Huts, which are lockable micro-shelters. Community members meet regularly with Service Team members, who help facilitate a healthy group dynamic, serve as mentors, and help navigate social services. Community members in our program may be eligible for volunteer and employment opportunities with CSS.


Rules

Our rules help make the Community a safe place for everyone. This is not a comprehensive list, but here are some of the most important rules:


• No drugs, alcohol, or weapons within the Community

• No illegal activity, violence, or harassment

• Keep the Community tidy

• Take care of your Hut

• Respect quiet hours

• Keep the Community gate locked

• All guests must be pre-approved

• Ration firewood, water, and other supplies fairly

• Participants must attend regular meetings and work parties


For questions about rules, email office@cssoregon.org or call our office at 541-683-0836.

Locations

All of the Safe Spot Communities we manage are located in Eugene, Oregon.


You may see Conestoga Huts and Safe Spot Communities elsewhere, but those are run by separate organizations we’ve partnered with. They have different features, rules, and application processes.


For the safety of our community members, we don't publicly provide Safe Spot Community addresses. Community members are able to use the main office address to receive mail.

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"CSS was so patient, showing us that it was okay to make mistakes, but you have to own them and continue on. CSS gave me a life. I don't think about suicide anymore. It's not perfect, but it's better. I'm so grateful to CSS for the love and grace that has been shown to me."

— Zech, community member & staff member

“I was in Colorado for a nursing contract. When my mom passed away, I came back home to Oregon, but I couldn't find help for my mental health. I found myself homeless. This program truly saved my life. It's not just a safe place to sleep. Staff helped me get new health insurance and therapy so I could be more successful."

— Kris, community member

"[It’s] such a good feeling to have a place to go home to. It gives you a certain amount of freedom. So you don’t have to be a prisoner. You can go there and do your best."

— Chris, community member

"I don't feel like I'm afraid to go out my front door anymore. No other group is doing what CSS is doing. If it wasn't for CSS, I probably would've wound up staying on the streets struggling. But instead I can take a moment, gather myself, and produce things that I wouldn't be able to make otherwise."

— Kaeleo, community member

"Every single person is an individual with different reasons and different causes. One of the great things about Community Supported Shelters is they take people on their own ability. Not everybody has the same capability, and they’re willing to work with everybody."

— Jeff, community member

"I get up every morning and thank all the gods in the sky that I don't have to shiver all day from the rain. Sometimes I feel so moved by it that I just want to cry."

— Elena, community member

"I've been on the streets for five years. Where I was before, someone could always thrash my stuff. This place here changed that for me. It's reassuring having a gated community. It's a hard transition for some people at first because there's a sense you're losing your freedom, but you get a lot back."

— Sherry, community member

"It's not altogether bad. There's a lot of things I don't like about it, but it's pretty good. If you need to get in, go to the 1160 Grant Street office, and you will get in hopefully soon. If you need a place to be, this is a good place to be. A lot of nice people. They will help."

— Connie, community member

"CSS was so patient, showing us that it was okay to make mistakes, but you have to own them and continue on. CSS gave me a life. I don't think about suicide anymore. It's not perfect, but it's better. I'm so grateful to CSS for the love and grace that has been shown to me."

— Zech, community member & staff member
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