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County review finds uneven shelter outcomes, calls for more housing placement resources as budget tightens
Summary
Multnomah County staff presented a FY2025 review of 31 adult 24/7 shelter programs that found wide variation in housing exits, racial disparities in shelter access and a proposed metric (exits per bed) to better measure throughput; commissioners and providers pressed for more housing dollars, clinical supports and coordinated in‑reach.
PORTLAND — Multnomah County health and homeless‑services staff on Thursday presented a fiscal‑year 2025 review of 31 adult, housing‑focused 24/7 shelter programs, reporting uneven housing outcomes across shelter types, racial disparities in access and a proposal to measure exits per bed to better capture how shelter units convert to housing.
Anna Plumb, interim director of the Homeless Services Department, told the county board the review was intended to improve transparency about costs and program performance as officials craft the FY27 budget. “This analysis of 24/7 shelters provides a foundation for us to explore effective and efficient programs,” she said.
Doc Ramblings, the department’s senior research and evaluation analyst, reviewed the data: the 31 programs served about 6,731 people in FY2025; approximately one‑third were experiencing chronic homelessness. Average length of stay for all exits was 73 days, while the average for those exiting to permanent housing was about 160 days. Using combined funding sources, staff reported the programs’ total…
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