Sunstone Way to Close Portland Shelters and Lay Off 175 Staff

Nonprofit dissolving, leading to immediate closure of two city shelters and layoffs of entire 175-person workforce.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 11:52am by

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Sunstone Way, a nonprofit organization operating six homeless shelters in and near Portland, Oregon, is dissolving, a move that will result in the layoff of 175 employees and the closure of multiple shelter facilities. The dissolution of the nonprofit will lead to the immediate closure of two city shelters, creating an urgent situation for the individuals currently residing in the shelters.

Why it matters

The closure of these facilities removes critical infrastructure from the Portland area's homeless services network, leaving both the employees and the residents to seek alternatives in a limited timeframe. The scale of the layoffs is comprehensive, with the nonprofit indicating that all 175 staff members will lose their positions, representing the entire workforce of the organization.

The details

According to a notice issued on April 8, 2026, Sunstone Way is scheduled to close permanently at the end of June 2026. At the Weidler Village shelter, residents have been informed that they must vacate the premises by May 29, 2026. One resident, identified as Willy, stated that he had lived in his vehicle for at least two years before finding a place at Weidler Village four months ago and described the news of the closure as devastating.

  • On April 8, 2026, Sunstone Way issued a notice that it will close permanently at the end of June 2026.
  • Residents of the Weidler Village shelter have been informed they must vacate the premises by May 29, 2026.

The players

Sunstone Way

A nonprofit organization that operated six homeless shelters in and near Portland, Oregon.

Willy

A resident of the Weidler Village shelter who had lived in his vehicle for at least two years before finding a place at the shelter four months ago.

Jake Gentry

A master technician at Green Oval Motors who expressed concern over the reduction of available shelter space in the city.

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What they’re saying

“Why would you do that to these people when you know they are relying on your work to get us through?”

— Willy, Resident of Weidler Village

“The city requires more shelters rather than fewer to address the local homelessness crisis.”

— Jake Gentry, Master Technician at Green Oval Motors

What’s next

The city of Portland is currently attempting to transition residents from Sunstone Way's shelters into alternative housing options as the deadline for vacancy approaches.

The takeaway

The closure of Sunstone Way's shelters and the layoff of its entire 175-person workforce will have a significant impact on the Portland area's homeless services network, leaving both employees and residents in a difficult situation as they seek alternative options in a limited timeframe.