January 30, 2023 3:20 a.m.

Governor Tina Kotek has announced details of her request to state lawmakers to invest $130 million toward reducing the number of unsheltered Oregonians this year.

A release said currently, there are approximately 18,000 Oregonians experiencing homelessness in Oregon, and approximately 11,000 of those households are unsheltered. The request was paired with a statewide emergency order declaring a Homeless State of Emergency, which was signed on January 10th, the Governor’s first full day of office.

Kotek said the spending package will aim to provide immediate relief to at least 1,200 unsheltered Oregonians, prevent nearly 9,000 households from becoming homeless, expand the state’s shelter capacity by 600 new beds, increase sanitation services, and ensure a coordinated equitable response to the homelessness emergency.

The package includes:

*$33.6 million to prevent 8,750 households from becoming homeless

*$23.8 million to add 600 low-shelter beds statewide

*$54.4 million to rehouse at least 1,200 unsheltered households

*$5 million to support emergency response directly to the 9 sovereign tribes in Oregon

*$5 million to increase capacity for culturally responsive organizations to support equitable outcomes of the homelessness state of emergency

*$2 million to support local communities for sanitation services

*$1.8 million to support the emergency response being coordinated by the Office of Emergency Management and Oregon Housing and Community Services

More information is available in the full release from Governor Tina Kotek which is linked: https://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=87597