91视频

By Sara Cline

The Associated Press

PORTLAND 鈥� Lawmakers in the Oregon Legislature on Thursday proposed a $400 million package to urgently address affordable housing and homelessness in a state that has one of the highest rates of unhoused people in the country.

A 2020 federal review found that 35 people per 10,000 in Oregon are experiencing homelessness. Only three states had a higher rate: New York (47 people per 10,000), Hawaii (46 people per 10,000) and California (41 people per 10,000).

The plan, from majority Democrats, would allocate $165 million to address immediate homelessness needs statewide 鈥� including increases in shelter capacity and outreach to the vulnerable population 鈥� as well as $215 million to build and preserve affordable housing and $20 million to support homeownership.

鈥淲e have heard from Oregonians that they want to see action to address homelessness and housing affordability and solutions that work,鈥� House Majority Leader Julie Fahey said.

With the proposed package, officials are hoping to not only provide relief to people currently experiencing homelessness, but also address some of the root causes.

Of the $165 million allocation, $50 million would go to Project Turnkey, which buys hotels and other buildings and then repurposes them into shelters. In addition, $80 million would be used for immediate statewide needs, such as rapid rehousing, and $25 million would go to local governments to respond to the specific needs in their communities 鈥�- including shelter, outreach, hygiene and cleanups.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler is leading an effort via lobbyists to pressure the state to immediately fund temporary homeless shelters.

Currently, Multnomah County, which includes Portland, has the capacity to shelter roughly 1,400 to 1,500 people year-round. There were about 4,000 people experiencing homelessness in Multnomah County in 2019, the most recent time there was a finalized count of the area鈥檚 homeless population 鈥� although local advocates predict that the homeless population has since increased significantly.

Wheeler has blamed the lack of beds on state leaders, who he said have underinvested in temporary shelters compared with neighboring states.

鈥淲e need the state government to step up and match the funding levels to expand temporary shelter space now and save lives,鈥� Wheeler said. 鈥淭his is an Oregon issue, not just a Portland issue.鈥�

Rep. David Gomberg, a Democrat representing Oregon鈥檚 Central Coast, said, 鈥淥ur rural and coastal communities suffer the highest child homelessness in the state.鈥�

One of the root causes that advocates in Oregon say leads to homelessness is a lack of affordable housing, an issue that the state has long faced but has been exacerbated during the pandemic.

According to a聽聽published by the state, Oregon must build more than 140,000 affordable homes over the next 20 years and not lose any existing ones.

The proposed $165 million investment includes supporting affordable housing construction. But project teams are struggling to handle market and supply chain disruptions, acquire and produce manufactured housing parks, and support land acquisition for additional projects.

Fahey acknowledged that while some of the proposed investments may make an impact quickly, the problems the state faces are not going to be solved overnight.

鈥淲e have to be thinking about things that will make a difference in the short term,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut also planning for the long term and addressing the root causes of issues.鈥�

Editor鈥檚 note: Sara Cline is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program.