Multnomah County to Reduce Homeless Services Budget by $87 Million Despite Rising Need

MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. — Despite increasing homelessness, Multnomah County officials anticipate $87 million less for shelters, rent assistance, and eviction prevention in the next fiscal year, as bottlenecks due to overloaded caseworkers continue to keep sheltered people out of homes.

Multnomah County Homeless Budget Reduced By $87 Million

As of November, over 17,000 people were homeless in Multnomah County, with more than 8,000 living outside or in vehicles. The monthly rise in homelessness has outpaced the number of people getting housed for several years.

County Commissioners reported a 26% reduction in the $334 million budget for the homeless services department, formerly the Joint Office for Homeless Services. This cut will likely result in job losses and reductions in county-funded homeless services, including shelters.

The county has missed previous goals, with only 16% of shelter residents transitioning to permanent housing last fiscal year, despite a larger budget.

Additionally, federal funding, crucial for the region’s homelessness efforts, is at risk of being cut if threats from the Trump Administration are enacted. A judge has temporarily blocked new federal rules affecting funding for Portland nonprofits.

Detailed plans for how next year’s budget allocations are due out tomorrow.

Shift From Shelter To Homes More Difficult As Multnomah County Homeless Case Managers Increasingly Overloaded

A recent Portland City Auditor report found shelter case manager caseloads ranged from 6 to over 37 people per case manager, pointing to staffing capacity as a potential barrier to keeping people in shelters and out of permanent housing.

The report analyzed shelter providers that reported staff-to-participant ratios from 8 or 9 participants per case manager or housing specialist to 25. A County survey indicated that caseloads for adult and family shelters ranged from six to over 37 participants per case manager.

A separate in-depth review of 24/7 adult shelters conducted by the Homeless Services Department, analyzing costs and performance from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, found that the number of 24/7 shelter beds had more than doubled, with nearly 3,000 24/7 shelter beds open at the time.

The report suggests that decreasing the number of 24/7 adult shelter units could reallocate costs toward rent assistance and services for people currently staying in shelters.

Shelter capacity has expanded fast, even as budgets tighten.

This could house an equal or greater number of people without increasing the cost.