Tri‑County SHS oversight committee: region created thousands of units but demand outpaces exits

Metro and the Supportive Housing Services (SHS) oversight committee told the Washington County Board of Commissioners on April 15 that the region has built thousands of supportive housing units and compiled a multi‑million dollar revenue base, but that demand for homelessness services is growing faster than people are exiting the system.

The oversight committee presentation, led by co‑chairs Mike Savara and Felicita Montblanco and delivered by Metro staff including Jess Larson and Yesenia Delgado, summarized the fiscal year 2024 regional annual report and the committee’s recommendations for improving accountability and evaluation. “We really see this as a strong start,” Mike Savara said, noting that revenue collection and distribution for the year totaled “over $309,800,000.”

Why it matters: SHS was created to build a regional system of care across Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. The oversight committee report is the first multi‑year assessment showing program scale, outcomes and gaps as the region moves from start‑up to sustained operations.

Key findings and numbers

- The committee said the region has created roughly 4,055 housing units over three years, including 1,220 permanent supportive housing units that contribute to a 10‑year goal of…