Commissioners approve amended Supportive Housing Services year‑4 work plan and back draft year‑5 amid revenue forecast cut

The Washington County Board of Commissioners on April 1 approved an amended year‑4 work plan for the voter‑approved Supportive Housing Services (SHS) program and gave preliminary approval to staff’s draft year‑5 work plan intended to govern fiscal year 2026.

Assistant Director Jess Larson and the SHS team told the board a forecasted revenue decline of roughly 15 percent compared with earlier projections required scaling some programmatic goals. ‘‘This is a year of transition,’’ Larson said, adding that the county will focus on efficiencies and completing several capital projects while maintaining core permanent supportive housing placements.

Nicole Sting, strategic initiatives manager, and new staffer Katie Gentry detailed the proposed year‑5 goals: 375 housing placements through SHS‑funded programs; continued system throughput with an emphasis on exits from shelter to positive destinations; an 85 percent housing‑retention goal for households placed through SHS programs; and a goal of 200 households…