Nearly 5,500 people moved into homes and left homelessness with assistance from the Joint Office of Homeless Services and its contracted service providers in Fiscal Year 2023-24. This marks a 28% increase year-over-year, or 1,211 more people rehoused compared to the previous fiscal year.
This significant growth in housing placements is the largest since the Joint Office’s launch in July 2016, largely driven by new services funded by the Supportive Housing Services Measure. In the same period, nearly 7,900 individuals accessed shelters, representing an increase of over 2,000 people or nearly 35%.
“These outcomes show what we all know to be true: When we work together, we can create some positive results. These outcomes would not be possible without the providers and front-line staff who have worked tirelessly every day, with deep commitment, to make this progress possible,” said Dan Field, director of the Joint Office of Homeless Services. “These results also strengthen my belief that we are making a difference in our community, right now. 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.”
Chair Jessica Vega Pederson also emphasized the impact of partnerships in achieving these results.
“I echo Director Field’s thank you to providers and front-line staff making this work happen every day. I also want to honor the experiences and commitment of the thousands of neighbors who’ve left the streets for a shelter bed — or finally unlocked the front door of a home of their own,” she said. “This work takes partnership, and so many have shown up for it. I’ve been committed to changing the trajectory of the Joint Office since Day 1, and these investments are paying off. We’re serving more people. We’ve added services. 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.”
The progress achieved by the Joint Office is detailed in two newly released public reports. A year-end dashboard highlights efforts to help people access housing, shelters, and other services throughout the last fiscal year. In addition, the fourth-quarter narrative report sent to Metro focuses specifically on the Supportive Housing Services programming.
These reports follow an independent review by the County Auditor’s Office, which found “excellent results” after the Joint Office addressed past challenges in data reporting. The Joint Office improved contract management and oversight, creating protocols cited as models for other County departments. A recent audit confirmed the office met or exceeded expectations for contract monitoring.
The Supportive Housing Services Measure has proven transformative, enabling the Joint Office to assist thousands more people. More than 42% of those who moved from homelessness to housing last fiscal year—2,322 individuals—benefited from Supportive Housing Services. This represents a 76% increase over the previous year and roughly double the number of people served two years ago when funding first became available.
Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall also acknowledged the positive impact of increased funding.
“The Joint Office of Homeless Services’ increased investment in funding Gresham’s Homeless Services team enables our staff to provide critical outreach services throughout Gresham and, more recently, rent assistance to get clients seeking help off the street and into permanent housing. We are very appreciative of Multnomah County leadership and the JOHS for their continued support of this critical community resource.”
“Building up the base needed to deliver on this measure required not only time but a series of strategic steps, from developing spending dashboards to improving our contracting and procurement practices,” said Field. “Now, at the end of our third year, those efforts have paid off with better futures for thousands of our neighbors. And we have proven we can prudently manage these resources.”
As of the end FY 2024, a total of 4,760 people were receiving support from SHS-funded housing programs through the Joint Office, including those newly placed in housing and those who remain housed with continued services.
In addition to the 35% increase in people entering shelter, the number of people accessing a shelter bed for at least one night rose to 9,101, up from 6,905, marking a 32% increase. This growth is attributed to efforts to open new shelter beds and enhance shelter capacity, made possible by partnerships and investments.
Last year, the Joint Office helped fund the Bybee Lakes Hope Center, which allowed the shelter to continue serving more than 175 people each night. The office also expanded day center capacity, added sleeping units at Safe Rest Villages, and supported the City of Portland’s Temporary Alternative Shelter Sites, including Clinton Triangle. Programs like Housing Multnomah Now helped people who moved from sidewalks into shelters find permanent housing, making those beds available for others in need.
“Our work this year would not have been possible without us leaning into partnership, both building new connections and strengthening old ones. None of us can do it alone,” Field said. “These outcomes show that we are on an upward trajectory. We are leaving the past in the past, taking the lessons with us into the future, and pushing forward together.”
