PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Planning for the future while trying to catch up — that’s the nature of addressing homelessness in Multnomah County after two years in a pandemic.
County commissioners held a meeting Tuesday morning where the Joint Office of Homeless Services laid out just how much progress it’s made getting thousands off the streets and into supportive housing.
Since July, over 1,200 people have moved into housing, and 325 of them were placed using supportive housing funds. BIPOC individuals account for 60% of that pool.
The county’s goal is to get 2,500 people each year placed into housing.
While program employees are working hard to pick up the pace — they’re stretched thin.
“These are the same staff members and providers we’ve been tapping to program, contract and distribute large amounts of federal and state funding for critical short-term COVID-19 interventions like rent assistance,” said Mark Joel, Director of the Joint Office of Homeless Services.
To place more people more units must be built. Right now, plans are set to build more than 2,200 units in the coming years. Just over 1,000 of these are funded, 360 are under construction and 178 are finished.