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1,900+ evictions prevented; nearly 1,500 people provided shelter; 1,700+ use rent assistance, wraparound services
SHS dollars help make county’s Stabilization Center a reality
Clackamas County continues to successfully use its share of the Metro Supportive Housing Services (SHS) measure to tackle homelessness and address pressing housing issues in our community.
This past Fiscal Year, Clackamas County and our community partners:
- Provided 1,758 people with Regional Long Term Rent Assistance and Housing Retention, and stabilizing, supportive services that help vulnerable residents retain their housing. Clackamas County achieved a 96% retention rate for people placed in permanent supportive housing, meaning that 96% of those in the program kept their housing and did not return to homelessness.
- Housed 662 people facing homelessness by placing them into permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing programs. Since 2021, 3,535 people have been served with these programs.
- Prevented 1,948 evictions, stabilizing 3,881 people in their own homes. Since 2021, 5,283 evictions have been prevented – stopping homelessness before it starts.
- Sheltered 1,475 people (in 246 shelter units) experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or transitioning out of institutional settings.
- Connected directly with 1,141 people experiencing homelessness where they were, establishing connections to resources in our housing services system, which is a significant first step toward permanent housing.
- Opened the Clackamas County Stabilization Center providing mental health crisis stabilization services with short-term housing services.
“The challenges to addressing homelessness are very real and housing is a necessary tool in our Recovery-Oriented System of Care,” stated Clackamas County Commissioner Ben West. “Clackamas County is housing thousands of people and focusing on essential treatment. This latest annual report, and the work it represents by our community partners, shows that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and get real results.”
One highlight from the past Fiscal Year is the county’s Housing 4 Success self-sufficiency program, which offers career coaching, job training, help overcoming barriers, mental health resource navigation, specialized case management, and an incentive savings account to those who would benefit. The program’s goal is to build lasting financial self-sufficiency, which is critical – not only for individual families, but for Clackamas County’s capacity to continue this work and use our resources efficiency, accountably and transparently.
“We are heartened that 127 households who previously faced homelessness have moved from ongoing rental assistance into Housing 4 Success,” stated Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services Director Mary Rumbaugh. “Our progress is real and challenges remain. Thousands of people in Clackamas County have a place to call home thanks to SHS, but we recognize residents continue to face real housing crises every day. We are dedicated to continuing this work to house people.”
The county’s service provider partners continue to profoundly change the course of many people’s lives. The county invests SHS funds across the continuum of homeless services, relying on a wide range of service providers. The county partnered with 17 service providers to deliver relationship-based, trauma-informed supportive housing case management.
Project Highlights and openings
Significant milestones and progress on major county initiatives and projects were also made using SHS funds this past Fiscal Year, including:
- The Clackamas County Stabilization Center opened late last year. This facility serves individuals experiencing mental health crises. Thus far, $1.7 million in SHS funds have been invested in program operations.
- Mental health support is woven throughout SHS programming. The Behavioral Health Retention Team was piloted this year, supporting people in permanent housing with mental health care and peer support to avoid returns to homelessness. Another initiative, Health and Housing Case Conferencing, connects people to primary care, specialist care, mental health care, recovery support, long-term services, and health insurance.
“Homelessness does not stop at county lines, which is why this measure was designed as a truly regional investment,” Metro Council President Juan Carlos González said. “In 2020, voters across Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties chose a unified path to confront this crisis together. The stability and housing retention numbers that we have achieved in year five of the Supportive Housing Services measure show the power of that shared commitment.”
Reports
Read Clackamas County’s SHS Annual Report
Clackamas County is releasing its report at the same time as Multnomah County and Washington County.