Nearly 38,000 Oregonians Have Found Help Through Governor Kotek’s Fight Against Homelessness

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s aggressive initiative to put a roof over the heads of homeless people has touched 37,767 lives since she took office in 2023.

Working closely with Oregon Housing Community Services (OHCS), Kotek’s efforts have resulted in rehousing 5,539 households, creating 6,286 shelter beds, and preventing 25,942 families from losing their homes.

Every Oregonian Must Have a Safe Place to Sleep at Night

In a news release yesterday, Kotek says while the initiative is delivering positive results, there is still more work to be done to ensure that every Oregonian ‘has a safe place to sleep at night.’

Her sentiments are shared by Andrea Bell, the executive director of the OHCS, who says that although the initiative has touched the lives of many, more work is required to address the challenges of Oregon’s homelessness, a nationwide crisis.

There was an increase of 5,037 people living on the streets from 2017 until Kotek took office in 2023. As governor, she declared a State of Emergency and, in a collaborative effort with the legislature and local partners, a statewide shelter system was established.

Then, in the spring of 2024, the governor signed Senate Bill 1530, which secured funding to stabilize and expand the state’s shelter program. The funding also provided eviction prevention services for the 2023-2025 biennium.

This Year the Governor Established the First Permanent Statewide Shelter Program

This year, Kotek fought to protect existing state-funded shelters and signed House Bill 3644, establishing Oregon’s first permanent statewide shelter program.

Her ongoing implementation of policies to protect the state’s homeless population has received praise from several quarters, including Melanie Doshier, ACCESS Chief Program Officer, and Dr. Vernon Baker, Executive Director of Just Compassion.

Doshier says the governor’s initiative has helped Oregonians to transition out of unsheltered living, while Dr. Baker says her State of Emergency accelerated the construction of shelters, provided a safe place for people to rest, and gave them access to the broader housing system.