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Lane County HUD system performance report shows longer homelessness episodes and low shelter-to-permanent-housing exits
Summary
Lane County staff presented HUD-required system performance measures showing that people are spending longer periods homeless, returns to homelessness remain stable, and exits from emergency shelter to permanent housing remain low compared with rapid rehousing and transitional housing.
Amanda Bridal, senior program services coordinator for the Continuum of Care, presented Lane County’s System Performance Measures — a HUD-required report covering the federal fiscal year from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024 — and explained how the county’s data compare over time.
Key findings presented: the average length of current homelessness episodes increased in 2024 compared with prior years; returns to homelessness (people who exited to permanent destinations and later returned) held roughly steady at about 24% (meaning approximately 76% of people who exited to HUD-defined permanent destinations did not return to the system within the measurement window); and the number of people served in shelter rose in 2023 because of added All In shelter capacity but then decreased in 2024 as capacity stabilized.
Exits to permanent housing: Bridal told the board the percentage of exits to permanent destinations is low overall and varies considerably by program type. Emergency shelter exits to permanent housing were reported at about 17%, transitional housing about 50%, and rapid rehousing about 78%. Bridal said emergency shelter is the largest contributor to the universe of exits and therefore heavily influences the overall figure.
Other data points: Bridal noted that in March the homeless-by-name list added more than 600 individuals and about 46% of those were new to the list. She also said employment and overall income growth measures showed modest increases for some cohorts but that employment remains challenging for people with significant barriers.
Causes and responses discussed: Presenters and members cited insufficient housing supply, limited move-on options and shelter models that are not always housing-focused as factors slowing exits to permanent housing. The board discussed targeted prevention, diversion, landlord engagement and housing navigation as strategies to improve flow through the system.
Caveats: Bridal warned the SPM report uses HUD definitions and a federal reporting universe that differs in scope from local dashboards; she suggested the board consult county dashboards and the HMIS data team for more granular, local analysis.
Ending: The board asked staff to follow up with the data team for more detailed analyses on specific questions, including program-level exit rates and demographics of people exiting to and returning from permanent destinations.
