About

CSS is dedicated to helping people rebuild their lives

About

We're compassionate, humanistic problem solvers

Established in 2013, Community Supported Shelters is a nonprofit located in Eugene, Oregon, that helps unhoused individuals rebuild their lives through intentional community. We provide shelter, safety, and support for those in need, transforming lives with our low-barrier, cost-effective approach. Organizations across the U.S. have adopted our methods.

Our Core Values

Our Model

What is our approach for assisting unhoused individuals? It's in our name: Community, Support, and Shelter!

Community

We foster intentional communities that facilitate teamwork and shared responsibility. Unhoused individuals become peer support for one another, stabilizing and reaching goals side by side.

Support

Teams of facilitators and service navigators connect our community members to housing, health, and other services they need to become independent and productive.

Shelter

We manage Safe Spot Communities, sheltering community members in low-cost and durable Conestoga Huts. Here, unhoused individuals can fill essential needs: shelter, safety, food, water, restrooms, and human connection.

Homelessness in Oregon

We're located in Lane County, Oregon, which has one of the highest rates of homelessness per capita in the U.S. Learn about homelessness in our county, state, and beyond.

Learn More

Transformative Shelter

Our model helps unhoused individuals find stability and rebuild their lives, and it maintains an impressive success rate for helping people transition from the streets into housing. Learn about our group-living environments, called Safe Spot Communities, and about our innovative micro-shelters, known as Conestoga Huts.

Consulting & Accountability

In 10 years, our work has reached 46 states, 1 U.S. territory, and 6 countries. Hundreds of people’s lives change for the better each year. We’re committed to assisting other organizations that wish to adopt our model, using our contributions wisely, and making our financial and impact information readily available in our Annual Report.

News



The Future: A New Building For CSS!

July 26, 2025
Because of your support, we’re growing into something bigger—two new spaces designed to better serve our unhoused neighbors. Community Supported Shelters is in the middle of an exciting transformation. After over a decade at our Grant Street location, we’ve purchased a new building that will allow us to bring our in

The Present: CSS to Make a Big Move

July 25, 2025
“Everyone will have desks,” declares Blake Burrell, CSS Director of Community Impact, anticipating the move of most of the CSS staff and programs from 1160 Grant Street to 2870 West 10th Place, a former Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles facility. The move will take place between now and the end of 2025.

The Past: A History of Heart at 1160 Grant

July 24, 2025
Erik de Buhr fell in love with the building at 1160 Grant long before there was a Community Supported Shelters. He was involved with a group that built things out of salvaged materials (Resurrected Refuse Action Team), including huts that would turn out to be precursors to the CSS Conestoga Huts. “I’d been eyeballing t

CSS is Now Operating the Nightingale Safe Spot

July 23, 2025
In partnership with the Nightingale Board of Directors and the City of Eugene, CSS is ensuring the Nightingale Safe Spot continues to operate in South Eugene. In the month of July, CSS officially began to operate the Nightingale Safe Spot Community in South Eugene. As the organization moves its home to our new building

Donor Spotlight: Eugene REALTORS® YPN

July 22, 2025
The Eugene REALTORS® Young Professionals Network had their yearly ‘Sip of Summer’ event to raise money for Community Supported Shelters. A good time was had by all with games, a raffle, BBQ, and great networking at Alton Baker Park. This was their 5th fundraiser for CSS, and they raised $3,300 this year to Adopt-a-Hut.

Volunteer Spotlight: UO Duck Corps

July 21, 2025
This summer, we've been collaborating with UO Duck Corps, who have been giving Hut exteriors some good scrubbing. Dustin (the staff member taking the selfie), says, "It's so encouraging to see a younger generation work against stereotypes about the unhoused and have such an interest in helping their community."
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Our History

2012

The beginning of the de Buhr's Conestoga Hut vision, born out of the grassroots Occupy Movement in Eugene, Oregon

2013

Community Supported Shelters incorporated as a nonprofit, and first Safe Spot Community opened

2014

Opened a Safe Spot Community for Veterans

2017

Built the first wheelchair-accessible Hut

2020

Opened five new Safe Spot Communities due to COVID needs of the unhoused

2022

Added Shower and Laundry Programs

2025

We're getting a new building! We've grown to about 40 employees, but our current main office only has 7 desks and 3 parking spots. The new space will help us better serve our unhoused neighbors.


What's next?

Keep up with the latest news about CSS in our quarterly newsletter.

View Newsletter

Support Us

Your support provides shelter and hope for a better tomorrow. No amount is too small to give. $20 can make a real difference in the lives of unhoused individuals—it can fund an Outreach Kit, which provides someone in need with water, snacks, and hygiene supplies.

Donate Today