Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson announced today she has appointed Jillian Schoene as director of the Homelessness Response System.
The Homelessness Response System is a groundbreaking collaborative effort that’s already helping thousands more people leave our streets and sidewalks for safety and services in shelters or in housing.
As director, Schoene will convene the County, the City of Portland, the City of Gresham, regional and state partners, and providers and experts, around the Homelessness Response Action Plan, a shared roadmap with specific goals and metrics for addressing and preventing unsheltered homelessness that can adapt in real time.
“Jillian will be a powerful contributor in our shared work to address homelessness,” Chair Vega Pederson said. “Her leadership capitalizes on years of relationship-building to help us continue to house and shelter more people, meet our goals, and build partnerships.”
“The City and County now have a strong partnership and a shared plan — much to the credit of several of our current set of elected officials and many staff. I’m excited to join a team that shares a focus on urgent action, predictable investments and public accountability,” Schoene said. “We can reach a day where homelessness is rare and brief in Portland and Multnomah County — but we can only achieve that by working together locally and with our regional and state partners. I believe we can get this done.”
Every day Multnomah County, regional partners and a network of providers connect people with services that help them into stable shelter or housing.The latest quarterly report from the Joint Office of Homeless Services shows that from July 1 through Sept. 30 alone, more than 1,000 more people in Multnomah County left homelessness.
That same network also provided shelter for 4,388 people in that same span. As outlined in the Homelessness Response Action Plan, expanding shelter to get people off the street is critical. Multnomah County has opened 17 shelters just since 2020, while also supporting most of the nine shelters the City of Portland opened since then.
Schoene currently serves as chief of staff for City Commissioner Carmen Rubio. In that role, she oversaw the City of Portland’s Community and Economic Development Service Area, directly helping shepherd major policy and reform efforts related to permitting, climate, economic development and housing.
Schoene also pushed tirelessly in City Hall to ensure the City and County continued their long partnership around work to not only overcome unsheltered homelessness but also build the permanently affordable housing Portlanders need.
Prior to working at City Hall, Schoene worked as an executive director, political consultant and communications professional with 25 years of service with Oregon elected officials at every level of government, from Congress, to the governor’s office to City Hall.
She focused in particular on advancing women’s elected leadership across Oregon. For eight years, she ran a nonprofit, Emerge Oregon, that recruited and trained women to run for elected office. Schoene trained and mentored hundreds of women, many of whom went on to run for school boards, city councils, county commissions and the Oregon Legislature.
Chair Vega Pederson worked closely with both Portland Mayor-elect Keith Wilson and outgoing Mayor Ted Wheeler in appointing Schoene.
Schoene joins a seasoned team of homelessness experts and advisors at the Homelessness Response System and the Joint Office. Her critical multi-jurisdictional expertise and leadership will help the region continue to house and shelter more people, meet shared goals, and build partnerships.
Schoene will officially start her new position in mid-December. Her salary is $160,000.
