Portland Public Schools says two pilot housing grants helped hundreds of families; district urges legislative support
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Summary
District presenters reported PHAP and SHOP pilot grants provided hundreds of families with short‑term housing and utility aid; SHOP remains a pilot with about $330,000 available and officials urged constituents to contact sponsors (LD747, LD384) to sustain funding.
Portland Public Schools presented data on two state pilot grants that district staff said have materially reduced housing instability for students and families.
Priscilla Biddencourt, the district’s McKinney‑Vento liaison, described the Pilot Homeless Assistance Program (PHAP) as a 2023–24 award that provided roughly $553,865 to assist families with overdue utility bills, rent and move‑in costs; the district received roughly 609 requests before remaining funds were exhausted. "Each student could receive up to $750 per calendar year," Biddencourt said, and funds were paid directly to vendors rather than to families.
Rachel Spencer Reid, SHOP grant manager, said the SHOP pilot — designed to prevent student homelessness — was awarded about $760,000 and later extended by nearly $95,000 for a total of roughly $854,000 through June 30. Through mid‑December SHOP had served 144 families (281 Portland Public Schools students); 76% of those families were McKinney‑Vento designated and about half of that group were living doubled‑up. By Dec. 31, SHOP had spent just over $200,000 on financial assistance — about 44% of SHOP’s financial assistance budget — leaving approximately $330,000 for the remainder of the school year.
Presenters said the grants fund housing navigators (district and contracted Project HOME staff), rapid stabilization services, and education workshops on tenants’ rights. They emphasized that pilot grants are not automatically ongoing and urged audience members to contact legislative sponsors to advocate for continued funding. Presenters named LD384 and LD747 as the enabling bills and suggested constituents contact the bills’ sponsors, including Sen. Mike Brennan of Portland.
District staff also outlined program lessons: financial assistance alone does not solve a shortage of affordable housing, and many families assisted face multiple compounding challenges (single‑parent households, medical bills, language barriers). Presenters said they are tracking outcomes, including the number of families who find stable housing and those who maintain housing with short‑term help.
Board members asked clarifying questions about renewal possibilities and eligibility rules; staff said PHAP had previously been renewed once and SHOP eligibility requires a PPS‑enrolled student with McKinney‑Vento designation or imminent housing loss (eviction/90‑day notice). The board discussed outreach to original bill sponsors and potential constituent testimonies about program impact.
