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OHCS presents shelter and eviction‑prevention budget notes, reports wide regional variation and program pressure after cuts
Summary
OHCS briefed the committee on two Ways and Means budget notes: shelter cost analysis and eviction‑prevention effectiveness. The agency said it surveyed 214 shelter projects (representing ~85% capacity), found large regional variation in per‑bed costs, and warned that recent cuts reduced eviction prevention capacity and staffing.
Liz Weber, director of the housing stabilization division at Oregon Housing and Community Services, told the committee that OHCS's budget‑note reports will provide regionally disaggregated data on shelter costs and an analysis of how to maximize eviction‑prevention assistance given constrained funding.
OHCS said it collected data from 214 shelter projects across the state (about 85% of capacity on the housing inventory count) and met with roughly 20 eviction‑prevention providers administering the state's primary program. Weber said the agency disaggregated costs by region and shelter type, gathered provider input through surveys and listening sessions, and is preparing recommendations on reasonable shared cost expectations and per‑bed funding guidance.
"We didn't previously have a very comprehensive understanding of to what extent communities were already contributing to their shelter costs," Weber said, noting the agency can now show state, local, federal, private fundraising and in‑kind contributions by region. She said providers reported rising operating costs (food, staffing), staff retention challenges, and that recent legislative cuts materially reduced eviction‑prevention capacity in many areas.
OHCS will submit the reports to Ways and Means and said they will include per‑bed cost estimates, recommended ranges for non‑state contributions by region, and methodologies for maximizing the number of households served with available direct assistance while limiting administrative overhead.
Committee members asked how the reports account for recent funding cuts; Weber acknowledged cuts reduced service capacity and said regional coordinators will develop plans that prioritize among shelter types and services based on local needs.
The committee did not act on funding at the meeting; OHCS will finalize its reports and return recommendations to Ways and Means.
