Report #12 TURNING THE TIDE Reducing the Number of the Homeless

Reality: Inflow Exceeds Outflow Despite immense spending, the Homeless Services Department’s (HSD’s) monthly dashboard reveals a sobering trend. During 2025, the number of people falling into homelessness consistently exceeded those exiting the system. On average, 295 more individuals became homeless each month than those who found a way out. In 2025, an average of 1,467 […]

Report #8: Unified Leadership: Prerequisite for a Successful Homeless Policy

Report #8: Unified Leadership: Prerequisite for a Successful Homeless Policy Unified leadership is a simple and well-tested principle necessary for success. Multiple leaders and uncoordinated management lead to incoherence in strategy, duplication of effort, gaps in practice, and a resultant waste of resources. Unfortunately, adherence to this basic principle is completely lacking in the response […]

Report #5: Behavioral Health and Drug Addiction..The Ignored Stepchild of Homeless Services

Report #5: Behavioral Health and Drug Addiction..The Ignored Stepchild of Homeless Services Various numbers have been reported that claim to total the spending on homelessness in Multnomah County.  They include the costs of shelters, clean-ups, supported housing, street outreach, and similar services.  But they do not include the cost of treating addiction and mental illness […]