City and County Bolster Emergency Rent Assistance Efforts with $5M

(PORTLAND, ORE.) - Today, residents of Multnomah County seeking emergency rent assistance through the County's Department of County Human Services will be supported with an additional $5 million from the Portland Housing Bureau. The additional funding was allocated by the Portland City Council last month as part of the Technical Adjustment Ordinance.

"Stable housing is the foundation for a healthy and thriving community. This investment allows us to work in partnership and move quickly to deploy these dollars, preventing displacement and reducing strain on our shelters and other emergency systems," said Quisha Light, interim director of the Portland Housing Bureau. "We're grateful for our continued partnership with Multnomah County to ensure rent assistance reaches households in time to prevent eviction and the impacts it has on families and communities."

The County is expected to distribute $4.5 million in emergency rental assistance funds through two methods: directly through the County, as well as through a cohort of community-based organizations. These funds are expected to support 1,000 households. The remaining $500,000 will go toward operating and administrative expenses for the program.

"One of the most powerful things we can do to reduce homelessness is to prevent it before it starts," said Rachel Pearl, Multnomah County's Department of County Human Services Director. "These funds allow us to reach more households before eviction becomes a reality, slowing the inflow into homelessness and ensuring families--especially children--have the safe, stable home they need to thrive."

How to Access Rental Assistance Services

Eviction prevention support is accessible via 211info by dialing 2-1-1 or emailing [email protected], or directly via the following providers:

• Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)
• Latino Network
• Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)
• El Programa Hispano Católico
• Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI)
• Bienestar de la Familia

To be eligible for the program, households must meet both requirements below. There is no citizenship requirement for these funds.

1. Resident of the City of Portland.
2. Household income at or below 65% of Area Median Income (AMI). Income is based on a snapshot of current income at time of application - the current gross income of all household members, or the household's total income for the full calendar year before intake.

As costs for rent, food, utilities, and fuel continue to grow and strain the stability of households, the County and City acknowledge that the demand for the financial support exceeds the available funding.

Background on the City and County's Rental Assistance Partnership

During the pandemic, the City of Portland and Multnomah County came together to align efforts to respond to households facing eviction. The County used its existing capacity in contracts, payment mechanisms and case management expertise to expand efforts and distribute millions in both City and County emergency rent assistance dollars expediently. Since the pandemic, the County, within the Department of County Human Services (DCHS) has maintained this capacity in its Youth and Family Services (YFS) division and continues to operate Emergency Rent Assistance and Crisis Case Management services as part of its imminent eviction prevention efforts. These additional City funds will support these continued efforts.

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ABOUT THE PORTLAND HOUSING BUREAU:Guided by a vision that all Portlanders should have equitable access to affordable housing and to the opportunities that a safe, stable home can deliver, the Portland Housing Bureau leads housing policy for the City of Portland and administrates programs to produce affordable rental housing, expand homeownership and stabilize homeowners, and regulate and assist tenants and landlords in the rental housing market. The Portland Housing Bureau is one of several bureaus and programs in theCommunity and Economic Development service area. This service area aligns City programs focused on building prosperity for all Portlanders. We aim to create and deliver efficient, transparent, and equitable solutions for a resilient built environment - as well as services, resources, and experiences for our community.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES:The Department of County Human Services (DCHS) designs programs, services and funding to provide stability for Multnomah County residents across the lifespan. DCHS strives to not only uplift our community members in times of need - but to invest in innovative, future-oriented approaches to human services that prevent crises, build assets and nurture self-determination within our communities by addressing and redressing the root causes of racism and all other forms of inequity.

DCHS serves the community across generations through four core divisions: thePreschool & Early Learning Division;Youth & Family Services (YFS);Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Services (IDDS); andAging, Disability & Veterans Services (ADVSD).