Regional Homelessness & Housing Insecurity Study

GOVERNANCE, COSTS, AND REVENUE RAISING TO ADDRESS AND PREVENT HOMELESSNESS IN THE PORTLAND TRI-COUNTY REGION

In August 2019, HRAC released a report that estimated about 38,000 people experienced homelessness in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties in 2017. It also showed that 107,039 households were housing insecure or at risk of homelessness in the three counties. The report provides a list of proven solutions, the cost of each, and revenue-raising options.

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General INFO:

Researchers:

Marisa Zapata, Jenny Liu, Lauren Everett, Peter Hulseman, Thomas Potiowsky, Emma Willingham (Portland State University)

Status:

Completed

Funding:

Internal (HRAC)

News Coverage:

Seattle Times, Oregonian, Think Out Loud, OPB, KATU, KOIN, KGW, KPTV, KOMO, Portland Business Journal

Key findings:

About 38,000 people experienced homelessness in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties in 2017. This estimate includes those living doubled up, those served and an annualized count based on the one night Point-in-Time figures, which include people living in shelters, cars and on the street.
$2.6 billion to $4.1 billion is the estimated cost to provide housing, support, services, operations and administration for 10 years to all those experiencing homelessness. (Does not include what jurisdictions are already spending.)
107,039 households were housing insecure or at risk of homelessness in the three counties in 2017. It would take an estimated $8.6 billion to $21 billion to provide rent assistance for all households in this population for 10 years. (Does not include what jurisdictions are already spending.)

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The Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative found that nearly 38,000 people experienced homelessness in the Portland tri-county area in 2017. Understanding the true scale and cost of homelessness is essential to finding solutions.