Navigating Homelessness and Housing Accessibility: An Ethnography of Guests at Operation Nightwatch

In 2025, over 7,000 individuals in Portland, Oregon experiencing unsheltered homelessness are without access to shelter or transitional housing. In this resource gap Operation Nightwatch (ON) provides material support for people experiencing homelessness (PEH) in the University District neighborhood of downtown Portland. This study focused on the experiences of chronically homeless guests of Nightwatch as they navigated homelessness and housing access. The study relied on semi-structured interviews with staff and guests and on-site participant observation to determine the availability of support to access housing in a system governed by Coordinated Access and the Housing First model. Primary research took place between April and July 2025. The target population was adults 18+ years of age experiencing chronic homelessness who visited Operation Nightwatch. Unexpected interview results include concern from staff about the Housing First model and its ability to support a homeless population with diverse needs. Additionally, interview question responses demonstrate a need to better understand how to support individuals who do not engage with the housing system as well as the necessity to determine alignment of housing interventions and supportive measures with the actual needs of PEH. Recommendations include increasing capacity of shelter beds and housing units while increasing capacity for mental health care, substance use treatment, and physical/developmental disability support.