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Homeless Services Department

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Homeless Services Department

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We help people move out of homelessness into safe, affordable, and accessible housing.

We help people move out of homelessness into safe, affordable, and accessible housing by working with community and government partners to provide coordinated, participant-driven, equitable services for those experiencing
or at risk of homelessness. We work with community organizations and government entities to provide coordinated, participant-driven, equitable services for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Services include housing, street outreach, shelter, and support for families, adult, veterans, domestic violence survivors and youth. We are responsible for overseeing the development and operations of the shelter system, and leading the County’s implementation of the Metro Supportive Housing Services Measure of 2020 and of the Homelessness Response Action Plan of 2024. We also involve community stakeholders in developing policies and programs to help address and solve homelessness in our community.

10/16/2026

Behind the scenes at KGW-TV 🎬

Catch HSD Director Nathaniel VerGow on Straight Talk this weekend as he breaks down how we are meeting people where they are across Multnomah County, connecting them with vital services, and moving neighbors from the streets into permanent, stable housing.

📲 Stream on KGW+ or listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify!

10/12/2026

Housing status should never stand in the way of making your voice heard. If you aren't registered to vote in Oregon yet, you have until the end of the day tomorrow (Tuesday, Oct 13) to register online.

Already registered? You can still update your address and get a ballot all the way up to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day!

Quick facts for voters experiencing housing instability:
- No traditional address? For your residence, you can list a shelter, park, motorhome, or cross street.

- Mailing address: Use any safe place to pick up mail, like a shelter, friend's address, or the Multnomah County Elections Building (1040 SE Morrison St).

Take two minutes to register, update your address, or check your status at www.Oregonvotes.gov

Questions? Call Multnomah County Elections at 503-988-VOTE (8683).

10/07/2026

The HSD Monthly Newsletter, 🎃 October 2026 edition is here!

Plenty of exciting updates from HSD this month, including:

📮Voting Rights & Housing Instability: Guidance and resources for voters experiencing housing instability.

📃PSU Pathways Study Complete: Part 2 of the final report from PSU HRAC

🚩Local Homelessness Milestone: An unified investment strategy on two-year performance goals between the County, Portland, Gresham and partners.

🌇Homeless Youth Continuum Annual Report: Celebrating FY 2026 highlights.

🛌Northeast Family Shelter Update: Progress on building a safe supportive space for families.

📍And much more

Check your inbox for the full newsletter if you’re already signed up, access the link below, or sign up for our newsletter to receive monthly updates from our department.

09/30/2026

More shelter options are coming to Multnomah County families! 🏠✨

A Northeast Portland motel is being repurposed into a family shelter, providing a safe, supportive space for local families navigating housing instability. Expanding transitional housing options like this is a crucial step in keeping families safe while connecting them to long-term stability.

📲 Read the full KOIN News report at the link below.

09/23/2026

How do we build long-term housing stability in Multnomah County? 🏠

Portland State University’s Homelessness Research & Action has released Part 2 of the HSD-funded Pathways Study. Informed by a lived experience advisory group (the TREES committee), the report demonstrates that homelessness stems from complex systemic drivers—like skyrocketing rents and sudden economic shocks—rather than single isolated events.

Rather than a one-size-fits-all model, the study offers a data-driven roadmap to target early prevention, reform system gaps, and address root structural causes alongside immediate shelter needs.

👇 Read the full PSU press release and access the study below.

09/14/2026

We’re excited to be part of the 2026 Housing Oregon Conference.

Nathaniel VerGow, Director of the Multnomah County Homeless Services Department, will be speaking on a panel presentation – Five Years In: The State of Our Homeless Services Systems and What Comes Next, on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

You’ll hear from executive leaders in the tri-county region about the progress made in homeless services systems through the SHS measure and in regionalizing our systems of care. Leaders will discuss the continued challenges in the region and areas of improvement to strengthen public trust and confidence for future investment.

Learn more & register by September 15: housingoregon.org/conference/

09/01/2026

Join us for the September 2026 edition of our newsletter and discover how the Multnomah County Homeless Services Department is working tirelessly to support our community:

🏢Q4 SHS Report Highlights: Over 1,000 neighbors moved into stable housing this year, thanks to the Metro Supportive Housing Measure. Read our newly released Q4 report which shows significant progress across Multnomah County over the past year.

🕊️ Remembering Becky Lange: We honor Becky Lange for her invaluable advocacy and commitment in the work to end homelessness. Her legacy reminds us that those closest to homelessness often hold the keys to effective solutions.

❤️ Cross-Sector Case Conferencing: We invite dedicated providers to join our new CSCC Leadership Table to enhance collaboration between homeless services and healthcare.

🏫 ️ NEFS Neighborhood Meeting: Learn about the new Northeast Family Shelter on September 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Mt. Hood Community College. Connect with project leaders and discuss integration plans.

Read the full newsletter below!

08/11/2026

"Doing as much—if not more—with less."

Our Homeless Services Department Director, Nathaniel VerGow, joined OPB’s Think Out Loud yesterday to discuss the future of homeless services in Multnomah County, navigating current fiscal shifts, and applying key lessons from his work with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to build a more efficient, impactful system.

Listen to the full conversation on OPB below.

08/06/2026

"Our mission is getting folks off of the streets and into permanent housing... Accountability is my mantra for the year, and that means getting laser-focused on what is proven to have the best results."

In a recent Q&A with The Oregonian, Homeless Services Department Director Nathaniel VerGow shared his perspective on navigating budget constraints, improving system navigation, and building long-term housing solutions for our community.

Read the full story below!

07/24/2026

When we invest in our community, real progress happens. Across Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties, Metro’s Supportive Housing Services measure has far exceeded its 10-year goals—housing over 10,400 households and keeping nearly 22,000 neighbors safely in their homes.

That’s over 10,000 success stories made possible because our region worked together to build shelter capacity, offer rent assistance, and secure permanent stability.

Read how dedicated local investment is changing lives across the region in the latest issue of Street Roots

Address

Portland, OR
97214

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://mailchi.mp/multco/hsd, http://hsd.multco.us/, http://multco.us/cold

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