Portland’s Efforts to Expand Homeless Shelters Hampered by Budget Constraints
PORTLAND, Ore. — In a significant move to address homelessness, fifteen organizations applied for funding from Multnomah County’s Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) to expand shelter capacity. However, due to budget limitations, only three organizations will receive funding, leaving many efforts, including a proposed expansion at Bybee Lakes Hope Center, in the lurch.
Alan Evans, founder of Helping Hands Reentry Outreach Centers, manages the Bybee Lakes shelter, which currently accommodates 175 individuals. Evans aims to add an additional 100 beds, which are already set up, but he needs approximately $800,000 in operational funds to open them. The proposal was ultimately denied by JOHS. “We were really surprised when we didn’t get the expansion opportunity,” Evans noted, expressing disappointment given previous discussions with the office.
JOHS, faced with budget constraints, selected only three of the 15 applicants for funding, allotting a total of $7.5 million to expand shelter beds across three sites, though the specific recipient organizations have yet to be disclosed. Dan Field, the director of JOHS, emphasized the rigorous evaluation process for selecting applicants, citing factors such as costs and readiness to serve specific populations.
Despite ongoing discussions around expanding shelters, including potential future funding for Bybee Lakes, many of the newly constructed beds will remain unused until financial support is secured. “We have a lot of providers who want to expand,” Field stated, pledging continued collaboration with Bybee Lakes and others to facilitate future opportunities. Evans remains hopeful yet frustrated, urging for more inclusivity in the funding conversation, stating, “We need the help. We can’t get the help. We are the help.”
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