In a landmark initiative for Multnomah County, a new data dashboard is now live, offering unprecedented access to monthly counts of homeless individuals in the community. The county's Homeless Services Department has been working tirelessly to better align its data collection with national standards, greatly enhancing the understanding of the local homelessness crisis.
This dashboard doesn't just throw numbers at the public; it aims to actively inform policy and budget decisions for the better good. "Better data leads to more informed decisions, and we have many difficult decisions ahead in our continuing work to tackle our homelessness crisis," Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson told Multnomah County News. The latest figures show that, as of January 2025, the county's by-name list, a detailed log of those experiencing homelessness, included 14,361 people — a considerable jump from the previous year.
The increase in numbers, as conflicting as it may sound, is a testament to the hard work behind the scenes. Better data collection practices have started to reveal the breadth of the issue, which was previously underreported. In an interview with Multnomah County News, Anna Plumb, deputy director of the Homeless Services Department, noted, "It might seem counterintuitive, but increased services can actually lead to a higher count of people experiencing homelessness."
However, the root of the crisis digs deeper into societal issues. Factors such as the housing affordability crisis, rising evictions, and insufficient wages are pushing more people into homelessness. "The root of our homelessness crisis is housing affordability. Until we make meaningful progress on that front, we’ll continue to see high numbers of people entering homelessness," John Tapogna, Senior Policy Advisor of ECOnorthwest, stated to Multnomah County News. The data shows that for nearly every two individuals managing to leave homelessness, three others are becoming homeless or added to the by-name list.
Despite the numbers, the data also underscores real progress that shouldn't go unrecognized. Thanks to robust housing programs and prevention efforts, thousands have found or retained housing. In January 2025 alone, over 7,500 people were placed or sustained in housing, and 5,700 people avoided homelessness through rent assistance. Nonetheless, the battle is far from over, as the need for affordable housing and other vital services remains critical in facing the inflow and outflow dynamics of homelessness.
