A new Portland State University report is cutting through the noise about homelessness in Multnomah County, and the message from people on the streets is blunt: almost everyone wants permanent housing, and the biggest game changer is basic, boring support like rent assistance and food. The Pathways Study centers the voices of people who are or recently were unhoused and points to everyday, practical help, not flashy new programs, as the most effective way to keep people stable. The findings land just as public dollars tighten, forcing local officials to decide which housing supports survive the next round of budget cuts.
The Pathways Study, released April 9 by Portland State University's Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative, surveyed 541 people over about nine months to understand what helps people survive and move into housing, according to The Pathways Study. The research team describes this survey as the first phase of a mixed-methods project, with in-depth interviews and journey mapping expected to follow in Summer 2026.
"The findings from this report make clear that people experiencing homelessness know what they need to obtain and sustain permanent housing," the report states, documenting both the services respondents use and the gaps that remain, such as legal support and job training. The study was co-designed with a 17-member TREES committee made up of people with lived experience of homelessness, and the authors note that participant input shaped the survey questions and how the results were interpreted, according to the report.
Key findings from the survey
Nearly all respondents, about 98%, said they wanted permanent housing, and rent assistance emerged as the top support people said they need to stay housed, with more than 65% naming it as a leading priority, according to Portland Mercury. The survey also found that involuntary displacements are common and disruptive. Many respondents reported losing tents, identification, phones, and medications when camps were cleared, losses that often severed connections to caseworkers and led to missed appointments that delayed their progress toward housing.
Kathleen Conte, the study's lead investigator, and TREES member Cassie Marusa discussed the findings on OPB's "Think Out Loud," emphasizing how repeated moves erode stability and block access to services. As OPB reported, committee members said the survey gives officials clear guidance on where to focus limited resources.
What it means for policy in Multnomah County
The authors caution that with what they describe as "historic levels of funding to resolve and prevent homelessness" winding down, local leaders will have to protect programs that prevent people from returning to homelessness instead of short-term fixes. Multnomah County's Homeless Services Department data show roughly 17,900 people were experiencing homelessness in early April, a number that highlights both the scale of the problem and the stakes of coming budget decisions, according to the Homeless Services Department. For policymakers, the researchers argue that the most straightforward path is to preserve rent subsidies, food access, and the practical supports that keep people from cycling back onto the streets.
Voices from the TREES committee
Members of the TREES committee underscored the human toll of constant removals, telling reporters that instability makes even basic tasks, such as holding a job, getting an ID, or making it to a housing appointment, incredibly difficult. "People just needed the chance," one committee member told Portland Mercury, summing up why consistent, practical support and fewer involuntary displacements matter so much.
The Pathways Study is intended to guide local budget and program decisions and will be followed by a deeper report that blends interviews and survey data later this year. For now, its central takeaway is straightforward: people with lived experience overwhelmingly want housing, and repeated displacement along with the loss of basic supports makes both finding it and keeping it far harder.
