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Service providers urge Portland council committee to prioritize housing, prevention and placement over shelter expansion
Summary
Multiple frontline providers and faith leaders told the Homelessness and Housing Committee that shelter expansion without stronger placement, prevention and long-term supportive services risks ‘warehousing’ people and is less cost-effective than housing-first strategies.
A coalition of frontline providers, a faith leader and shelter operators told the Portland Homelessness and Housing Committee on Oct. 21 that the city's current emphasis on expanding shelter capacity must be balanced with increased resources for housing placement, eviction prevention and long-term supportive services.
Speakers at the committee's public comment segment said shelter is necessary but insufficient on its own, and urged the committee to prepare for federal and state funding reductions that will make prevention and placement resources more critical. Multiple testifiers warned that expanding shelter capacity without ensuring exits to permanent housing will create longer shelter stays, bottlenecks and higher costs.
Sarah Fisher, an Episcopal priest who pastors an outdoor congregation of…
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