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County homelessness briefing focuses on KPIs, housing production and $25M Continuum of Care risk
Summary
Homelessness Response System director Jillian Schoene and staff briefed the board on a proposed KPI framework, concerns about housing production for families, data breakdowns by population and an urgent warning that $25 million in Continuum of Care funding is at risk under recent federal changes.
Jillian Schoene, director of Multnomah County's Homelessness Response System (HRS), briefed the board on proposed updates to system key performance indicators and the homelessness response action plan, and opened the discussion to commissioners about population-specific strategies and data-driven goal-setting.
Schoene said the county proposes replacing the existing KPI exhibit in the IGA with a broader set of measures (the briefing referred to those descriptively as the "yellow" items) and delaying specific numeric "SMART" goals until the county has clearer fiscal information: "Our current 4 KPIs expire at the end of this calendar year via contract... We need to replace exhibit 1 with new and better, more comprehensive KPIs," she told the board. Staff said detailed goal-setting is expected after the budget process provides clarity on available resources.
Commissioners repeatedly urged KPIs and action items to be disaggregated by population type and program pathway. Several members raised concerns that the existing plans under-emphasize family-sized units and requested explicit tracking of unit size and household type. One commissioner asked for breakout metrics so the board can see whether strategies are addressing families, seniors, youth, and veterans.
Board members also discussed the balance between ambitious system-level goals and measures the county can reliably control. A commissioner cautioned against setting targets that could be distorted by changes in inflow: "Reduce net homelessness over two years" may be affected by broader economic trends, they said, and suggested focusing on metrics the county can influence directly, such as exits from permanent supportive housing and production of extremely low-income units.
Schoene and other staff highlighted two immediate operational issues: the need for clearer population definitions (for example, chronic homelessness and disability), and the tools to break down quarterly KPI reports by demographics and system pathway. Staff said they will deliver updated exhibit language and explain how goal-setting will be phased into the budget process; the board will be asked to vote on KPI changes in December, with further goal-setting tied to FY-27 budget outcomes and a July 2026 timeline for final SOC (Steering/Oversight Committee) recommendations.
Separately, staff warned the board of a funding risk tied to federal Continuum of Care guidance: "$25,000,000 is at risk," a presenter said, underscoring the urgency of aligning contracts, outcomes and potential flexibility for providers. Commissioners urged staff to identify which KPI and contract outcomes can be adjusted quickly to allow providers to respond to shifting federal requirements.
Next steps: HRS staff will circulate the proposed new exhibit for the IGA, incorporate board feedback on disaggregation and SMART goals, and return for a December 16 briefing and subsequent decisions aligned with the budget calendar.
