Multnomah County’s Homeless Services Department and its network of providers helped 2,469 people leave homelessness for housing in the second half of 2024. And diligent work to increase shelter capacity meant that 6,288 people accessed shelters in that same timeframe, meaning they found respite off the streets in a safe and stable place to sleep.
These outcomes are higher than they were by this same time the previous year, showing continued progress in the County’s ability to respond to homelessness.
This is according to new data released by the Homeless Services Department showing its progress in addressing homelessness. The City, County and other leaders throughout our community have championed a clear plan for addressing homelessness through the community sheltering strategy and the Homelessness Response Action Plan.
“This is exactly what we set out to do when I took office,” said Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “We are providing the right services at the right time for many people who have desperately needed help for so long. We are not close to done — but this last quarter of investment and momentum should give us all hope for the future.”
The latest data show:
- A total of 2,469 people left homelessness for permanent housing in the second half of 2024 (July through December) — a 13% increase over outcomes from this same time the previous year.
- A total of 6,288 people stayed in shelters in the second half of 2024 — a 17% increase over outcomes from this same time the previous year.
- In the last half of 2024, 7,142 people were able to avoid eviction with emergency rent assistance — a 22% increase over outcomes from this same time last year.
- Most people in permanent housing programs were able to stay there. Data from the last six months of 2024 (July through December) showed that 90% of people in permanent supportive housing were still housed one year later, and 88% of people in rapid rehousing were still housed one year later.
Dozens of nonprofit homeless services providers make this work possible, with funding and support from the Homeless Services Department (formerly the Joint Office of Homeless Services).
One example is Cascadia Health, whose outreach team meets people experiencing homelessness where they are in the community. They provide them with survival supplies, and are also able to help connect people to shelter and housing. In the last three months of 2024, Cascadia Health helped 11 people enter permanent housing through its outreach program.
One person, Terralinda, left a cycle of housing instability, homelessness and domestic violence thanks to the support she received from the Cascadia outreach team. She’s now in her own apartment and is receiving rent assistance, case management and continued mental health support through Cascadia.
“To be able to get up in the morning and be safe, and to be able to go and talk to somebody that I trust, is awesome,” Terralinda said.
Supportive Housing Services work on track
Halfway through the fiscal year, the department has already exceeded 50% of many of its annual goals for programs funded by the Supportive Housing Services measure. This is according to the department’s second-quarter report on the Supportive Housing Services measure.
The department is ahead of its goals for homelessness prevention, outreach and housing placement for both permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing.
Additionally, the department is on track to hit its annual spending targets for Supportive Housing Services dollars. In the last six months of 2024, the department spent $76.7 million in Supportive Housing Services Dollars — far ahead of where it was at the same point last fiscal year ($43 million).
Significant budget shortfall could impact future work
As announced on Feb. 21, Multnomah County’s homeless services are facing a 25% reduction in the coming months: a $104 million shortfall for this service area alone. The expected shortfall is the result of grim budget forecasts of Supportive Housing Services dollars and County general funds.
Without a solution to this loss of revenue, these cuts will result in increased homelessness and suffering for our community. This would mean closing shelter beds, slowing progress to expand shelter, eliminating programs that move people from the streets to shelter and housing, cutting rent assistance that directly prevents families from being evicted into homelessness, and drastically reducing services for people with severe mental health and substance use challenges.
“We continue to show improvement and are demonstrating great results,” said Dan Field, director of the Homeless Services Department. “We’re making difficult decisions right now about how to manage shrinking resources while continuing to serve our community. The pace of progress we’re seeing won’t continue unless we find additional resources to sustain the work.”
“Multnomah County has done what we said we would by getting money out the door quickly in ways that are improving conditions in every neighborhood we serve — to the benefit of our entire state and region,” said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “We’re sheltering and housing more people than ever before — and preventing more people from becoming homeless. We can’t go backward.”