Systematic Barriers to Shelters

 

Temporary shelters in the Portland, OR area have multiple roadblocked points either legally or through their signup processes. In 2024, auditors from the City of Portland found that multiple shelters have waitlists that can stretch up to a year, are regularly at capacity, and are ineffective at moving people into permanent housing. The audit has also shown that city-managed shelters require a reservation before being allowed in, and yet there is no consistent process for scoring one. The report showed a variety of ways people obtained a shelter spot, from making a 2-1-1 call to getting a referral from the police. The longer someone is houseless, the risk of things like depression, anxiety, substance abuse, schizophrenia, weatherborne illnesses (hypothermia, heat stroke, etc.), and suicidal ideation and intention greatly increase. These risks are heightened further due to previously mentioned stigmas, general life instability, and inconsistent support services. 

 

The city must continue to change course to meet its demands. There is a new "homeless response action plan" that aims to cut Multnomah County's unsheltered population in half by 2026 by investing in more shelter beds and housing, similar to what the audit had suggested. There has since been an administrative shakeup in both the mayoral/city council offices but also the leadership of this response team. We must continue to observe these processes diligently. If you would like to learn more about this issue, check out OPB's article here on the new Joint Office of Homeless Services.