Multnomah County’s plans for a new 24-hour sobering and detox facility in Southeast Portland have experienced significant delays and inflated costs, according to recent reports.
Originally slated to open by late 2026, officials informed the Board of Commissioners that the facility is now anticipated to start operations closer to fall 2027.
The cost projections for the project have nearly doubled.
Initially estimated at $18.6 million, the total projected cost has now ballooned to approximately $30 million, excluding the $6.2 million already spent by the county to acquire the building.
Greg Hockert, the assistant director for planning, design, and construction, expressed that while the estimate has increased, the team is committed to finding opportunities to reduce costs and expedite the project.
“That’s our estimate as of right now,” Hockert stated during the meeting.
On Thursday, the Board of Commissioners approved the next phase of the project, which involves designing the facility and preparing the 24,415-square-foot warehouse located at 1901 SE Grand Ave for construction.
In addition to the sobering and detox services, the facility will house the county’s deflection program aimed at diverting individuals caught with hard drugs into treatment rather than jail.
Plans for the new sobering and crisis stabilization center include 20 sobering beds and 28 withdrawal management stations.
The county also plans to relocate its current deflection operations from a temporary center located just a mile away into the new facility.
Although the temporary center was initially intended to operate for only two years, county officials have announced that it will continue to remain open until the new facility is fully operational.
The sobering and crisis stabilization center is designed to serve individuals aged 18 and older who are intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, or those referred by police for deflection.
Individuals seeking sobering beds will be permitted to stay for up to 24 hours, while those needing withdrawal treatment can stay for a period of up to 14 days.
At its opening, the facility will operate on a referral-only basis.
Initially, these referrals will largely come from law enforcement and health care providers, with plans to expand the sources of referrals over time to include nonprofits and outreach workers that the county partners with.
Currently, there are no plans for the center to accept walk-in clients, according to statements made to the board.
Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards, who has been a vocal advocate for the sobering center since 2023, emphasized the urgent need for this facility.
“Fall of 2027 is a long way off and (these services) are much needed,” Brim-Edwards remarked, stressing that the center would help keep individuals out of emergency rooms and jails.
Commissioner Shannon Singleton raised concerns about ensuring outreach workers can submit referrals to the facility and highlighted the importance of providing adequate storage for individuals, particularly those experiencing homelessness.
Singleton noted that feedback from individuals at the temporary site indicated that anxiety over their belongings deterred some from seeking services.
Historically, the need for a sobering center in Portland has been emphasized, especially after the abrupt closure of the city’s only drop-off sobering center in 2019.
A coalition of city, county, and nonprofit officials has spent several years attempting to establish a new center, but political tensions and differing opinions on operations have hindered progress.
While efforts continue to develop the permanent sobering center, the county plans to add 13 more sobering beds to its temporary facility in the meantime.
Funding has been made available through the state, which provided $25 million to support the development of a behavioral health drop-off and permanent sobering center.
Officials expect continued state funding for sobering and deflection services as the project progresses.
The county has already invested $3.6 million into designing and constructing the current deflection center, which also faced cost overruns due to unforeseen building issues.
Initial data from the deflection program indicated about a 16% success rate in its early months, though officials have pointed out that data collection challenges make it difficult to fully assess the program’s effectiveness given its newness in the Portland metro area.
Chair Jessica Vega Pederson underscored the necessity of the upgraded deflection and sobering facility, calling it long overdue.
“This is something we have needed for a long time,” she stated.
Pederson highlighted that while this project is a Multnomah County initiative, it benefitted the broader community and was a priority for both law enforcement and the city of Portland.
image source from：https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/04/portland-area-sobering-center-delayed-by-another-year-will-cost-nearly-double-early-concept-estimates.html
