Joint Office of Homeless Services sees 28% increase of homeless placed in housing
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A new report from the Joint Office of Homeless Services shows that the office has helped nearly 5,500 people move into homes and leave homelessness during fiscal year 2023-24.
According to the office’s housing placement data, that number has increased by 1,211, or 28%, since the previous year — marking the biggest increase since the office first launched in July 2016.
Family-owned real estate firm buys Montgomery Park at 87% discount
Additionally, the JOHS reported that nearly 7,900 people entered shelter in fiscal year 2023-24, which is an increase of more than 2,000 people, or nearly 35%.
The announcement follows the City of Portland and Multnomah County’s recent decision to continue funding the joint office with the hope of cutting the homeless population in half within two years.
However, the near agreement also granted city leaders the ability to opt out of the agreement if there is not enough progress by October 2024, giving the JOHS six weeks to prove the efficacy of their work.
Family of Portland hiker killed in remote Washington sues alleged gunman, father
“These results…strengthen my belief that we are making a difference in our community, right now,” JOHS Director Dan Field said. “While we still have a ways to go before ending our homelessness crisis, thousands of people who were homeless are now in stable homes with the services they need to stay there.”
Funding from the Supportive Housing Services Measure continues to be a major component in the JOHS’ efforts. According to their report, more than 42% of those who left homelessness for housing last fiscal year received support funded by that measure. This marks a 76% increase in placements from the previous fiscal year, and nearly double from the year before that.
“We really focused on getting the resources out into the hands of our nonprofit providers, who are working daily with clients to get them housed, get them supported with rent support, with services and other things that will keep them safe and off the streets,” Field said.
The JOHS has previously faced criticism for its slow progress and under-spending since it began eight years ago.
“The joint office did have some challenges with spending those dollars. It was the first two years of the measure,” Fields said. “This year, in 2024, for the year we just concluded we actually spent every dollar that metro sent us.”
In 2023, city data showed there were over 6,000 homeless individuals, which Field said has bumped up to 10,000-11,000 today.
“We know our community has more people who are unhoused than we can safely shelter housed right now, so it’s going to be an uphill challenge for us for a while,” Fields said.
Poll shows close race between Salinas, Erickson for Oregon’s 6th District
Beyond permanent housing, Multnomah County has also seen a 32% increase in how many people accessed a shelter bed for at least one night in Multnomah County, including new and continuous shelter users, to reach 9,101 people.
“We’re serving more people. We’ve added services,” Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said. “The Joint Office has effectively invested taxpayer dollars in ways that are changing lives. Anyone who sees these outcomes can see that these partnerships are working to change what’s happening in our County for the better.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.