$40 million allocated to help homeless Oregonians

SALEM, Ore. – The State of Oregon is investing $40 million in an effort to end homelessness.

Oregon Housing and Community Services said the historic level of funding is quadruple the amount normally allocated by the Oregon Legislature. The money will fund resources intended to get Oregonians off the street and into shelters with the goal of long-term, stable housing.

“OHCS and the Community Action Agencies have an important opportunity to use this historic investment to make significant progress toward our goals of reducing homelessness, reaching the hardest to serve, and ensuring that Oregonians have a safe and stable place to call home,” said Governor Kate Brown.

OHCS said the most recent figures show over 13,000 people in Oregon were without a permanent place to call home. That’s a 6% increase since the last count in 2015.

“OHCS and our partners take the stewardship of this investment very seriously,” said Margaret Salazar, Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services. “We recognize the potential for dramatic impact with these funds and are excited to partner with the Community Action Agencies. With these funds we can prevent more Oregonians from falling into homelessness, rapidly rehouse people living on the streets, expand community shelters, and plan ahead for cold weather.”

In addition to the $40 million, the legislature also approved $1.5 million to help homeless veterans in Oregon.

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