Last Updated on February 8, 2021

I include this housing strategies study not because it proposes a solution directed toward ending / reducing homelessness… instead I include this study because it has one paragraph describing the scope of the homelessness situation in the county and then lacks any targeted solutions. Why do they call it a “Strategies Report” if they don’t specifically address about one out of every forty of our residents?

Read the Housing Strategies Summary Report here.

Last Updated on February 8, 2021

The Office of the Governor of the State of Oregon issued Executive Order No 06-05 in April of 2006 in which the Governor established the Ending Homelessness Advisory Council (EHAC). The council, chaired by Oregon Housing and Community Services Deputy Director Rick Crager, published “A Hope for Home”, Oregon’s ten year plan to end homelessness in June, 2008. The EHAC was also tasked with helping to ensure every county in Oregon originated a local plan to end homelessness. To that end, they contracted the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) to provide training and to help those counties without plans establish them. They provided a “Charrette”-style training in October, 2011 which was attended by the Clatsop Homeless Coalition core team.

From the report:

What We Need

• Permanent Supportive Housing for: chronically homeless, mentally ill and developmentally disabled, people recovering from substance abuse, returning veterans with many of the issues addressed, and chronically mentally ill
• Transitional Housing for families and individuals (very limited available)
• Transition Center (jail/prison transition) – (closed due to budget cuts)
• Emergency Shelter (insufficient amount in county)
• Shelter for youth transitioning out of foster care or homelessness for other reasons
• Group homes for homeless youth with mental illness, substance abuse or criminal issues
• Pool of Receptive Landlords willing to work with people with challenged rental history/credit
• Warming Shelters (more when necessary – extremely limited)

Read the report’s extensive number of very good recommendations and I think you’ll agree with me that very little has been actually implemented. For example, while the 2019 PIT count discovered 894 homeless in the county we have one seasonal warming center in the entire county and it is only allowed to operate 90 nights with an emergency capacity of 35 guests.

Read the report here.