Responding to increased shelter needs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and winter conditions, the City of Portland and Multnomah County opened two new winter shelters at the Charles Jordan Center and the Mt. This measure is one of the most ambitious efforts in the nation in terms of providing critical funding to services that support people transitioning out of homelessness. In 2020, Oregon voters passed the HereTogether-Metro Regional Supportive Housing Measure. Another $1 million was diverted to programs to help the city’s houseless population. Nearly $5 million from the police bureau was redirected to Portland Street Response, a new city program to dispatch unarmed first responders to answer calls involving people experiencing homelessness. In June 2020, the Portland City Council approved a budget diverting $15 million from the police bureau to social services ( source). Overall, A Home for Everyone placed 5,130 people into permanent housing and helped 12,240 people stay in their homes in fiscal year 2020 ( source). This program has been particularly successful in supporting homeless veterans. Portland has made strides in addressing permanent housing for those experiencing homelessness through a collaborative partnership (called A Home for Everyone) between the city, Multnomah County, local nonprofits and business leaders. The city is developing more shelter space as well as expanding service programs. Portland is a compassionate city with local business, nonprofit and community support - including hunger relief, emergency shelter and work programs - for those experiencing homelessness. Over that same period, homelessness also decreased in Seattle, but increased in Los Angeles and Oakland ( source). While this declaration was intended in part to enable more temporary shelter, we are a long way from meeting the demand.Īccording to Transition Projects, the number of people living unsheltered in Multnomah County (where Portland is located) decreased by 4% from 2017–2019 ( source). Portland’s emergency declaration was extended for another year in April 2021 ( source). cities and states (including Los Angeles, Seattle and Hawaii) in declaring a housing and homelessness emergency ( source). In 2015, the City of Portland joined several other U.S. So, while there are not necessarily more homeless individuals in Portland, there is a more visible unsheltered population.ĭemand for Portland real estate is contributing to an affordable housing crisis, which adds to the limited availability of housing stock for those most in need. The city’s Housing First model, which emphasizes transitional and permanent housing as opposed to short-term or emergency shelter, has resulted in a large gap in shelter availability for those in need. Homelessness in Portland: How We Got Here Portland is a compassionate city with local business, nonprofit and community support. Portland has fewer people experiencing homelessness than other large cities ( source), but, due to a lack of shelter availability for those in need, our unsheltered population is more visible. Learn more about how homelessness in Portland got to this point, what’s being done by government and public safety officials, what Travel Portland is doing, and what visitors can do to help and stay safe. Homelessness is a national issue that is impacting Portland and many other cities.
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