The Sunderland RV Safe Park, once hailed by its residents as Portland's "safest" rest village, is set to close by March 31 of next year, leaving its occupants searching for new housing solutions.

Ronnie Michael, a current resident who moved to Sunderland after being forced to relocate from Northeast 33rd Avenue, praised the park's safety and structure. "It’s a lot safer. People don’t get away with stuff here like they do anywhere else," Michael said. "Nobody from the streets allowed in which is great for me, I love it."

The closure comes as the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) prepares to return its maintenance operations to the Sunderland Yard, following the expiration of a contract with the Port of Portland next June. This contract had allowed the space to be used as a temporary RV park.

Michael is already planning his next steps, hoping to secure housing. "Well, hopefully housing. I should be on top of getting into that," he said. "If not, I have another RV and now that I have a license and insurance on that license ... I wouldn’t mind going to state parks and stuff like that for a while."

The Salvation Army, which operates Sunderland, acknowledged the park was never meant to be a permanent solution. Major Jonathan Harvey of the Salvation Army Cascade Division said, "We’re just very focused on taking care of the people we have here. We want to make sure that everyone has a transition plan to a stable solution or to another program so that they can continue to move forward in their lives."

The program was temporary since its creation, but it was planned to be there for five years instead of two.

Despite the impending closure, Michael reflects positively on his time at Sunderland. "It’s just really safe, it really is," he said. "Well yeah, I mean, you just couldn’t ask for anything more really."

The Salvation Army, PBOT, and the Joint Office of Homeless Services are collaborating to ensure residents receive the necessary services during this transition. However, the city currently has no plans to establish a similar RV park.