Avesta Housing and Preble Street are planning to turn the site of Portland’s former Oxford Street shelter into a Housing First project, offering both housing and support services for residents.

Avesta CEO Rebecca Hatfield said her organization is proposing to demolish the existing shelter and construct a new building on site.

“That would be comprised of approximately 30 to 50 units, and that would be site-based Housing First,” Hatfield said. “That would be permanent housing, and also contain 24/7 supportive services for those who have suffered from chronic homelessness.”

Avesta and Preble Street have already partnered on three similar developments that utilize a “housing first” model. Those buildings comprise about 85 units total, and they currently have a waiting list of more than 150 people.