August 31, 2023

Joint Office shows progress in SHS quarterly report

Marking the close of the second full year of the Supportive Housing Services Measure, Metro on Thursday, Aug. 24, shared fourth-quarter progress reports from Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.

In fiscal year 2023, Multnomah County served a total of 6,698 people with Supportive Housing Services funds, rehousing 1,318 individuals with those funds across all housing types — meeting 98% of the County’s overall goal for people housed with Supportive Housing Services funds. This year’s total exceeded last year’s total of 1,129 individuals.

Housing placement outcomes:

Overall: 1,318 individuals placed in housing (rapid rehousing and supportive housing combined)
Supportive housing: 624 individuals in 387 households placed in supportive housing
Rapid rehousing: 694 individuals in 419 households housed with rapid rehousing

Despite nearly meeting its housing placement goals at the individual level, the Joint Office did not meet its household-level goals for rapid rehousing and supportive housing — the Joint Office had planned to house 800 households with rapid rehousing and 545 households in supportive housing this year.

However, the Joint Office far exceeded its workplan goal to provide eviction prevention services to 800 households this year. Through community partners, the County delivered eviction prevention resources to 5,380 people in 2,067 households with Supportive Housing Services dollars.

And with only two years of implementation complete, the Joint Office has already met 44% of its 10-year goal to bring online 2,235 supportive housing units, with 417 new units made available in fiscal year 2023. Multnomah County also exceeded its goal of creating 400 new shelter beds in FY 2023, creating a total of 460 beds.

The impact of SHS dollars in Multnomah County in FY 2023

6,698 people served

SHS dollars allowed 1,318 people to be placed in housing (supportive housing and rapid rehousing), and 5,380 people to receive eviction prevention services

417 new units of supportive housing

460 new shelter beds

The Joint Office significantly increased the amount of resources able to make a difference and serve people in the fourth quarter of FY 2023, showing work to overcome challenges that led Metro and the County to develop a corrective action plan to address. This quarter, the Joint Office spent $42 million — more money than in the previous three quarters combined (Q1: $8.6 million, Q2: $13.2 million, Q3: $18.1 million = $39.9 million).

And, by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023, Multnomah County doubled its SHS goal of initiating contracts with at least five new culturally specific community based organizations, bringing on 10 new providers throughout the year.

Read the full report here and a letter from Chair Jessica Vega Pederson about the Joint Office’s progress here. A more-detailed annual report on fiscal year 2023 is due to Metro in the fall.