Latest news with #HomelessServicesDepartment
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Multnomah County unveils $4 billion budget plan for 2026 amid $77 million shortfall
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Multnomah County unveiled the proposed $4 billion budget for 2026 on Thursday, showing investments in community safety and health outcomes, but also staffing cuts and reduced funding for select homelessness services amid a $77 million shortfall. The release of the new budget comes after Vega Pederson shocked state and regional leaders by disclosing the county's need for funding to help maintain services, including shelter beds, rent assistance and more, back in February. The sudden ask included an additional $55 million from the state and $30 million in unspent administrative funds from Metro. City of Portland targeted in $6.7 million fraud scheme Currently, there's no definitive confirmation of direct state funding for Multnomah County for the 2026 fiscal year. The Chair's budget reduced the overall funding for the Homeless Services Department by 22% ($29.4 million), including deducting $1.2 million from employment programs, administrative positions, as well as adult parole and probation services. According to the County, a combination of factors — including recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, a rise in downtown office vacancies, a rise in inflation and the higher cost of living– led to a decrease of $77.3 million in the County's total operating budget. Portlanders press leaders on crime, safety amid budget cuts Still, the current budget protects community safety with investments of $142.5 million, allowing the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office to maintain current staffing levels and address staffing shortages. The funds will further support initiatives such as youth violence prevention programs, services for crime victims and survivors, as well as provide $2.3 million towards prosecutor positions in the District Attorney's Office. A separate portion of the budget will go towards ensuring a total of 3,622 shelter beds, community health centers, a downtown behavioral health resource center, planning work for a 24/7 drop-off sobering and crisis center and more. The county is also providing $10 million to continue shelter programs, including Safe Rest Villages and Temporary Alternative Shelter Sites (TASS). It will further fund initiatives geared towards community well-being, such as Preschool for All, DEI positions, gender-affirming shelter and day spaces, as well as animal service staffing and a redesign of the Multnomah County animal shelter. The budget further allocates $32.7 million for programs serving children and families at risk of homelessness and additional emergency rent assistance. 'Under my leadership, our community can trust that the County will focus on helping people who face the most challenges, as well as preserving the most direct and impactful ways we can serve them,' Vega Pederson said. 'My budget ensures no shelter bed is lost and no health clinic closed. Still, it is not possible to make cuts to this degree and not have it affect the services we provide.' While Vega Pederson is asking for the District Attorney's Office to make a $1 million cut to his office, DA Nathan Vasquez has countered, saying he wants to add 26 positions in his office. Vasquez will respond to the budget proposal at a press conference at 1 p.m. If approved, the budget will go into effect at the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, 2025. Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Latest data show rise in Multnomah County homelessness. Leaders explain why
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Homelessness numbers appear to have grown in Multnomah County, and local leaders say they know why. Leaders with the county's Homeless Services Department — formerly known as the said it could be due to several factors, including a new data system that does a better job of tracking those living without shelter in the community. 'Truly devastated': Missing kayaker identified after going over Willamette Falls On Wednesday, the county launched its new data dashboard that tracks, by name, those who have stayed in a shelter, met with a street outreach worker, signed up for housing services or visited local day centers. Court leaders say the dashboard will provide the most up-to-date record of how many people have entered and exited homelessness each month, but its first month may seem like a jump due to a higher accuracy than previous data collection systems. 'As the by-name data becomes more comprehensive, it will likely result in higher actively homeless numbers. This increase doesn't mean that more people suddenly became homeless, but rather the system is better able to account for everyone who is experiencing homelessness,' said Meghan Arsenault of Community Solutions. 'Having this clearer picture facilitates coordination and stronger matching of housing and service resources to meet people's needs.' But other factors could have had a hand in increasing these numbers, too. Data from January 2025 showed that at least 14,361 people were homeless. It also showed more than 7,500 people either entered or retained housing through the county's housing programs, over 5,700 people had received rent assistance, and more than 3,600 people used the county's 24/7-hour shelter system. Harassment in Vancouver: Hypnosis, witchcraft, scare tactics John Tapogna, the senior policy advisor for ECOnorthwest, said the 'root of our homelessness crisis' comes down to a lack of affordable housing. 'Until we make meaningful progress on that front, we'll continue to see high numbers of people entering homelessness — what these data identify as 'inflow,'' Tapogna said. 'Local governments have sheltered and housed more people than ever — outperforming the goals set under the ambitious Supportive Housing Services measure — but the need continues to outpace the available resources.' And issues with affordability affect more than just homes. The county also notes a lack of livable wages, Social Security checks and federal disability payments leading to higher eviction rates. Meanwhile, inflation has also increased the prices of utilities, food, and healthcare. In addition to a growing cost of living, Andrew B. Mendenhall of Central City Concern said people are more likely to become homeless while addicted to drugs — including fentanyl — or in need of mental health assistance. 'The impact of the wave of individuals impacted by fentanyl and methamphetamine use disorders and untreated severe mental illness combined with a chronically inadequate affordable housing supply are driving the imbalance between inflows and outflows to homelessness within our region,' Mendenhall said. 'Eviction prevention and housing placements are making a difference, but we must continue to scale behavioral health treatment access and affordable housing development with purpose and haste.' Trump Administration 'chaotically' revoked OSU doctoral student's visa, lawsuit claims These factors mean that more people are becoming homeless than leaving homelessness every month. According to the county, 'for every two people who left homelessness, three other people became homeless or were otherwise added to our by-name list.' HSD Deputy Director Anna Plumb also noted that more county services will also mean more people tracked by county data. 'It might seem counterintuitive, but increased services can actually lead to a higher count of people experiencing homelessness,' Anna Plumb said. 'That's because we are actually reaching more people than ever before — and making sure they are captured in our data.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MultCo reports 13% increase in housing among homeless in late 2024 as budget shortfall looms
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Nearly 2,500 people in Multnomah County who were homeless halfway through 2024 had successfully found permanent housing by the end of the year, county leaders announced Tuesday. Recently released data from the second half of 2024 reveal that the county's Homeless Services Department recorded 2,469 people were in housing and were no longer experiencing homelessness at the start of 2025. 'Very fortunate': Two survive downed tree crashing onto car in Oregon City 'We are providing the right services at the right time for many people who have desperately needed help for so long,' Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said. 'We are not close to done — but this last quarter of investment and momentum should give us all hope for the future.' Data show that 6,288 people found shelter between July and December 2024 through the county's contracted providers and 7,142 people were able to avoid eviction with emergency rent assistance. The Homeless Services Department, previously known as the Joint Office of Homeless Services, said these numbers mean that 13% more people have permanent housing, 17% more people have access to shelter, and 22% more people dodged eviction than in the second half of 2023. Chair Vega Pederson said this is a sign that the county's programs are moving more people off the streets with shelter and housing. '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,' Vega Pederson said. 'We're sheltering and housing more people than ever before — and preventing more people from becoming homeless.' Powerful storm produces 180 lightning strikes in Western Oregon However, the county claims this progress could be squashed due to an of 25% overall — with $104 million on the chopping block for housing and shelter assistance. During a recent press conference, Vega Pederson called this funding shortage 'catastrophic,' adding that it will lead to cuts in shelter beds, rent assistance, outreach programs currently funded by the Supportive Housing Service measure and the Multnomah County general fund. Department Director Dan Field said last year's improvements are a sign that these funds should be prioritized by state leaders. 'We're making difficult decisions right now about how to manage shrinking resources while continuing to serve our community,' Field said. 'The pace of progress we're seeing won't continue unless we find additional resources to sustain the work.' $2M worth of Nikes stolen from freight trains in desert Last week, Vega Pederson sent letters to the State of Oregon and Metro to provide more resources to help maintain these services. She requested an additional $55 million from the state and $30 in unspent administrative funds from Metro. KOIN 6 News immediately reached out to Gov. Tina Kotek, who said she had 'outstanding questions and potential concerns about how the county decided to make cuts to homeless services in their general fund.' Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
