A new report from Multnomah County's Homeless Services Department highlighted a potential shift in funding strategy that could help more individuals transition from homelessness to permanent housing—by focusing more on housing programs rather than maintaining the current number of shelter beds, according to Multnomah County. The analysis, reviewing operations between July 1, 2024, and June 30, looked at 24/7 adult shelters funded jointly by Multnomah County and the City of Portland.
Even though the region has seen shelter capacity double in the past five years, the report suggests a counterintuitive approach: decreasing shelter units and reallocating funds towards housing programs that provide rent assistance and services for those in shelters might actually increase the overall number of people housed. According to Multnomah County, there are now nearly 3,000 24/7 shelter beds available. Yet, Chair Jessica Vega Pederson expressed that resources for homelessness services are dwindling, and the notion that “by moving some of the dollars currently being used for shelter and putting that money toward housing assistance — specifically for people currently staying in shelter — we may shelter and house more people than we can today,” as stated in a news release.
Anna Plumb, interim director of the Homeless Services Department, explained the current issue: “We’ve been able to rapidly expand the number of shelter beds in our community, but the availability of housing assistance hasn’t kept up,” as per Multnomah County. Without adequate housing assistance, she warned, shelters risk becoming the final station in a system meant to provide a bridge to permanent housing. The department's report is a timely analysis as it arrives amidst the budget planning cycle for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, guiding critical funding decisions.
The genesis of this report was one of the City-County Homelessness Response Action Plan's action items. The work of the Board of Commissioners, in enhancing the Homeless Services Department’s data and research capabilities, has been instrumental—and it’s that past investment that made the current analytical findings possible. For more details on their agenda and to view the complete report, interested parties can follow this link.
