Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness: Washington County, OR

A Road Home

10-Year Plan to End Homelessness
July 2008 - July 2018

i

A Message of Hope SUPPORT FROM WASHINGTON COUNTY LEADERSHIP
We believe a reduction of homelessness is an achievable goal in Washington County
through this 10-Year Plan. Together, we will implement this plan to address homelessness
by providing the most vulnerable members of our community with the outreach, emergency
interventions, housing, services, and opportunities for independence they need.

Our 10-Year Plan is devised through the collective participation of many local
constituencies. We understand that, only through an enduring commitment by all of them,
will we achieve our vision. Going forward, our effort must secure and maintain new
commitments at the local and county levels from private and public sources. Towards this
end, we will maintain addressing homelessness as a local priority and forge new
partnerships that bring multiple sectors together to invest in our 10-Year Plan. Ultimately,
we will realize our goal of reducing homelessness. The collective capacity of our
compassion and commitment is greater than the depth of this challenge.

TOM BRIAN
Chair, Washington County Board of County Commissioners

Washington County Board of County Commissioners

Tom Brian, Chair
Dick Schouten, Vice Chair
Andy Duyck
Roy Rogers
Desari Strader

Washington County

Robert Davis, County Administrator
Susan A. Wilson, Director, Washington County Department of Housing Services
Annette Evans, Homeless Program Coordinator

June, 2008

A Road Home: 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness
Washington County, OR

ii


iii

LEADERS AND ARCHITECTS OF THE PLAN
Acknowledgements

The Washington County 10-Year Plan was made possible through generous contributions of
time, expertise, and resources by many individuals and the municipalities that make up our
community.

Sponsors

The Washington County 10-Year Plan and the preliminary needs assessment work carried
out as a prelude to the planning process were made possible through sponsorship from:

• Washington County, Oregon
• The City of Beaverton, Oregon
• The City of Hillsboro, Oregon
• The City of Tigard, Oregon
• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Portland Field Office

Production

Planning and production of this report were carried out by the Washington County
Department of Housing Services.

The Leadership Group

The Washington County 10-Year Plan gratefully acknowledges the generous contributions of
time and expertise from local leaders, representatives of community-based organizations,
citizen volunteers, and formerly homeless people themselves as participants in the Plan
Leadership Group.

• Roberta Ando, Director, HUD - Portland Field Office
• Alice Beggs, McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison, Forest Grove School District
• Rodney Branyan, Director, Washington County Health and Human Services
• Tom Brian, Chair, Washington County
• Janice Burger, Administrator, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center
• Eric Canon, Chair, Interfaith Committee on Homelessness
• Paul Carlson, Region 10 Coordinator, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
• Russ Dondero, Member, Housing Advisory Committee
• Rob Drake, Mayor, City of Beaverton
• Annette Evans, Homeless Program Coordinator, Washington County Housing Services
• Robert Gordon, Sheriff, Washington County Sheriff Office
• John Hartner, Director, Washington County Community Corrections
• Annie Heart, Executive Director, Family Bridge


iv Acknowledgements

• Tom Hughes, Mayor, City of Hillsboro
• Victor Merced, Director, Oregon Housing and Community Services
• Mary Metheney, McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison, Beaverton School District
• Douglas F. Morgan, Director, Executive Leadership Institute, Portland State University
• Jerralynn Ness, Executive Director, Community Action
• Christie Petersen, McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison, Hillsboro School District
• Janet Rash, Community Affairs Manager, Intel Corporation
• Reed Ritchey, Assistant Director, Washington County Community Corrections
• Sabino Sardineta, Executive Director, Centro Cultural
• Rob Saxton, Superintendent, Tigard-Tualatin School District
• Dick Schouten, Commissioner, Washington County
• Sydney Sherwood, Councilor, City of Tigard
• Robin Shultz, Oregon Department of Human Services
• Ric Stephens, Community Design Manager, Alpha Community Development
• Adolph ‘Val’ Valfre, Jr, Assistant Director, Washington County Housing Services
• Susan A. Wilson, Director, Washington County Department of Housing Services
• Chance Wooley, Senior Services Coordinator, Washington County Mental Health

The 10-Year Plan Workgroups

The Washington County 10-Year Plan gratefully acknowledges the generous contributions of time and
expertise from many individuals who served as members of the 10-Year Plan Workgroups. The Plan was
privileged to have the participation of the following individuals:

HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY SERVICES WORKGROUP

Workgroup Chair:
• Annie Heart, FamilyBridge/Interfaith Hospitality Network:

Workgroup Participants:
• Alice Beggs, Forest Grove School District
• Andrea Logan, Boys and Girls Aid Society
• Annette Evans, Washington County Housing Services
• Betty Merritt, Washington County Commission on Children & Family
• Eric Canon, Interfaith Committee on Homelessness
• Karlee Brandini, Boys and Girls Aid Society
• Kate Gigler, Washington County CCF
• Kim Krohn, Good Neighbor Center
• Kristin Ludwig, Community Action/Hillsboro School District
• Larry Hauth, Community Action
• Lisa Mentesana, Beaverton School District
• Liz Swenson, F.G. United Methodist Church
• Marc Jolin, JOIN
• Mary Metheney Beaverton School District
• Pat Rogers, Community Action


Acknowledgments v

• Robin Addington, Open Door Counseling Center
• Sunny Ross, Washington County Commission on Children and Families
• Vera Stoulil, Boys and Girls Aid Society

HUMAN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WORKGROUP

Workgroup Chair:
• Chance Wooley, Washington County Mental Health

• Annie Heart, Family Bridge Shelter
• David Pump, Homestreet-BanyanTree, Inc.
• Howard Spanbock, Luke-Dorf, Inc.
• Joe Simich, Washington County Community Corrections
• Judy Werner, Lutheran Community Services NW
• Kaja Perkowski, Open Door Counseling Center
• Karen Voiss, Tualatin Valley Housing Partners
• Kristin Kane, Cascade AIDS Project
• Lori Barendregt, Homestreet-BanyanTree, Inc.
• Marc Jolin, JOIN Program
• Nancy Knopf, Cascadia
• Phyllis Maynard, Lifeworks NW
• Ramsay Weit, Community Housing Fund
• Stephanie Runyon, Providence St Vincent's

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCOME SUPPORT WORKGROUP

Workgroup Chair:
• Reed Ritchey, Washington County Community Corrections

• Alan Edwards, Social Security Administration
• Cobi Jackson, One-Economy
• Dennis Erickson, Washington County Community Corrections
• Jeff Edwards, OR Employment Division-Veterans
• Jen Matheson, 211info Community Information & Referral
• Jim Harper, CASH (Creating Assets Savings & Hope)
• Kristin Burke, Washington County Mental Health
• Kurt Carlsen, OR Employment Division-Veterans
• LaDonna Burgess, Domestic Violence Resource Center
• Marcos Miranda, HELP - PCC Capital Career Center
• Phyllis Maynard, Lifeworks NW
• Theresa Barnes, Goodwill Industries, Job Connection


vi Acknowledgements

• Theresa Valdes, OR Dept. of Human Services
• Virginia Wertz, Social Security Administration

HOUSING WORKGROUP

Workgroup Chair:
• Adolph ‘Val’ Valfre, Jr, Washington County Housing Services

• Gary Calvert, Washington County Housing Services
• Jeff Salvon, City of Beaverton
• Jennie Proctor, Washington County Office of Community Development
• Karen Shawcross, Housing Development Corp
• Karen Voiss, Tualatin Valley Housing Partners
• Katherine Galian, Community Action
• Kathy Varro-Andersen, Community Housing Fund
• Kristin Kane, Cascade AIDS Project
• Laurie Harris, Washington County Planning
• Martin Soloway, Community Partners for Affordable Housing
• Peggy Linden, Washington County Office of Community Development
• Ramsay Weit, Community Housing Fund
• Sheila Greenlaw-Fink, Community Partners for Affordable Housing
• Tom Benjamin, Tualatin Valley Housing Partners
• Vince Chiotti, OR Housing and Community Services

Reference Sources

The 10-Year Plan acknowledges the assistance of two partners for supplying complementary data
pertaining to demographics, housing market, and homelessness trends in Washington County.

• The Population Research Center of Portland State University
• The Oregon Department of Education

Consultant

• Kristina Hals, Technical Assistance Collaborative


vii

SUPPORT FROM WASHINGTON COUNTY LEADERSHIP ................................................................... I
LEADERS AND ARCHITECTS OF THE PLAN ................................................................................... iii
Table of Contents
SECTION ONE: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................... 1
Planning Process .................................................................................................................. 1
Goals and Strategies ............................................................................................................ 1
Assessment of Impact .......................................................................................................... 2
SECTION TWO: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 5
National Examples ................................................................................................................ 5
New Principles ...................................................................................................................... 5
Homelessness Hurts............................................................................................................. 5
Homelessness Costs ............................................................................................................ 6
New Solutions ....................................................................................................................... 6
SECTION THREE: PARTICIPATORY PLANNING ............................................................................... 9
Planning Forums................................................................................................................... 9
Alignment with State Planning Efforts ................................................................................... 9
Needs Assessment ............................................................................................................... 9
Plan Representation ........................................................................................................... 10
Plan Leaders....................................................................................................................... 10
Plan Architects .................................................................................................................... 10
Workgroup I: Prevention & Emergency Services ............................................................... 10
Workgroup II: Housing ........................................................................................................ 11
Workgroup III. Human Supportive Services ....................................................................... 11
Workgroup IV: Economic Opportunity/Income Support ...................................................... 11
SECTION FOUR: REALITY ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................... 13
Homeless Numbers Rising ................................................................................................. 13
Rent Burdens ...................................................................................................................... 13
Who is Homeless? .............................................................................................................. 14
Other Causes of Homelessness ......................................................................................... 15
SECTION FIVE: WASHINGTON COUNTY TOMORROW ................................................................... 17
Six Goals ............................................................................................................................ 17
Prevent People from Becoming Home-less ....................................................................... 17
Move People into Housing .................................................................................................. 18
Link People to Appropriate Services and ........................................................................... 18
Remove Barriers ................................................................................................................. 18
Increase Income Support and Economic Opportunities ..................................................... 19
Expand Data Collection ...................................................................................................... 19
Implement Public Education on Homelessness ................................................................. 19
SECTION SIX: IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................................ 21
The Matrix of Strategies ...................................................................................................... 21
Implementation of National Best Practices ......................................................................... 21
Facilitation of the Plan ........................................................................................................ 22
Progress Reporting on the Plan ......................................................................................... 22
SECTION SEVEN: VISUALIZING THE PLAN .................................................................................. 23
APPENDIX A: 10-YEAR PLAN STRATEGY COST ANALYSIS WORKSHEETS .................................... 39
APPENDIX B: NEEDS ASSESSMENT DATA .................................................................................. 65


viii


1

Section One EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Plan for Washington County

Washington County has developed a new non-profit sector leadership, human
10-Year Plan to address homelessness. service providers, formerly homeless
The Plan intends to refocus and amplify individuals, and representatives of citizen
our community’s existing efforts to groups in a rigorous analysis of
support people who are homeless with Washington County’s homelessness
new “best practice” methods that have a problem and a hunt for its solutions. To
proven record in other 10-Year Plan dovetail these local efforts with the wider
communities nationwide. There are three campaign to address homelessness
fundamentals to the 10-Year Plan: statewide, architects of this Plan aligned
their goals with the Action Plan to End
1. Housing First: The inclusive practice of Homelessness in Oregon developed by
facilitating rapid exits from shelters and the Oregon Ending Homelessness
life on the streets for all homeless Advisory Council.
people, regardless of needs and
vulnerabilities, directly into affordable Goals and Strategies
housing without undue intermediary
steps, screening, or barriers.
The 10-Year Plan includes six general
goals. Each goal has multiple
2. Wrap Around Services: The
coordinated strategies of which many are
development of human service
considered national best practices with
interventions and programs linked and
proven effectiveness in reducing
coordinated with housing and
homelessness in other cities and counties
developed from insights into the multi-
nationwide. The goals and strategies are:
dimensional social, medical, and mental

health needs of people who are
GOAL 1: PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BECOMING
homeless.
HOMELESS
Develop new pilot interventions targeted
3. Income Opportunity: Recognition that all
to at-risk renters and individuals in local
homeless people require access to a
institutions who are vulnerable to
living wage or public income entitlement
homelessness upon discharge. Invest in
for which they qualify if they are to
short term solutions that are cost-effective
sustain permanent housing for the long
measures for preventing the higher costs
term and avoid future episodes of
of homelessness and its social and
homelessness.
economic consequences.

Planning Process GOAL 2: MOVE PEOPLE INTO HOUSING
Create new transitional and short-term
This Plan is the product of a rental assistance programs to facilitate
comprehensive process of participatory rapid exits from homelessness and to
planning that engaged local public and provide a temporary bridge to residential


2 Executive Summary: The Plan for Washington County

stability that prevents future episodes of home- of information gathered to include variables
lessness. Complement with expanded permanent reflecting the 10-Year Plan’s intended outcomes.
and supportive housing options for homeless Develop systems for using data collected on
people with disabilities and for those with extremely homelessness to assess the impact of the 10-Year
low incomes. Engage the private sector or our local Plan goals and strategies.
housing market as willing partners in housing
homeless people. GOAL 6: IMPLEMENT PUBLIC EDUCATION ON
HOMELESSNESS
Invite concerned citizens and established
community groups to participate in a community
This Plan is the product of a comprehensive process
of participatory planning that engaged local public partnership that coordinates 10-Year Plan strat-
and non-profit sector leadership, human service egies with community activism and volunteerism.
providers, formerly homeless individuals, and Publicize status reports on the progress of the 10-
representatives of citizen groups. Year Plan to a wide readership of the general public
and combine with media awareness campaign.

GOAL 3: LINK PEOPLE TO APPROPRIATE SERVICES AND
Each goal has multiple coordinated strategies of
REMOVE BARRIERS
which many are considered national best practices
Implement new tools and programs for engaging with proven effectiveness in reducing homelessness
homeless people into the homeless service system in other cities and counties nationwide.
and assessing how to make best matches between
their needs and existing community-based services.
Meet the emergency daily needs of unsheltered
persons in one centralized resource center, link
them with housing opportunities, and sustain their
Assessment of Impact
stability once in housing through wrap around
support services. Provide clearinghouse inform-
This 10-Year Plan is more than a set of general
ation that assures available housing resources and
goals for bettering our community’s efforts to
other services are fully utilized.
address homelessness. It includes multiple specific
strategies for new service innovations, pilot
GOAL 4: INCREASE INCOME SUPPORT AND ECONOMIC
initiatives, and practices that will achieve these
OPPORTUNITIES
goals. Also laid out in the Plan are methods for
Ensure the long-term sustainability of our
implementation and measures of impact for each
community’s existing job related resources that are
respective strategy. Over the next 10 years, the
tailored to people who are homeless and expand
impact measures will periodically be assessed to
these resources over time. Reduce barriers that
gage the success that aspects of the Plan are
prevent homeless people with disabilities from
having on reducing homelessness in our
accessing public income entitlements through the
community. In addition, options for funding the
SSI/SSDI program and facilitate more rapid access
respective initiatives and first steps towards
to this resource. Link job opportunities with housing
implementation for each of them are also outlined in
and homeless services.
the Plan. Together, these elements of detail and
specificity make this plan a working document that
GOAL 5: EXPAND DATA COLLECTION
is assured to maintain our community’s focus on its
Expand the spectrum of organizations that
tasks.
contribute data to our Homeless Management
Information System database and widen the kinds


Executive Summary: The Plan for Washington County 3

With this 10-Year Plan, Washington County will citizenry. This heightened attention to the issue will
coordinate a multi-system effort to reduce the assist us in calling for and engaging new financial
likelihood of a slide into homelessness by our resources to reach our goals. The collective
community’s most vulnerable members. In so capacity of our commitment to these goals is
doing, we will raise the profile of the crisis of greater than the depth of this challenge.
homelessness across the County and in all sectors
of our public service systems and amongst our

With this 10-Year Plan, Washington County will coordinate a multi-system effort to reduce the likelihood of a slide
into homelessness by our community’s most vulnerable members.


4 Executive Summary: The Plan for Washington County


Executive Summary: The Plan for Washington County 5

Section Two INTRODUCTION:
Why a 10-Year Plan for Washington County?

In recent years, many in Washington the state government issued its own well
County have come to recognize that formulated Action Plan in 2004. In
homelessness has found a home in our addition, several counties neighboring
community. This is most evident in the Washington County, such as Clackamas
increasing frequency with which needy and Multnomah, put plans into
families seek emergency help from the development. In mid-2007, Washington
County’s family shelters. In addition, the County began work on this, our own 10-
number of faces of destitute men and Year Plan. Its intent was to both echo
women, seen lingering on our roadsides specific goals put forth in the state’s plan
and along the railroad track with clearly and develop strategies that would be
nowhere to call home, or camping in most effective in Washington County.
makeshift shelters in wooded areas, has
also multiplied. In Washington County, New Principles
public officials, social and family service
providers, and local concerned citizens In reviewing how other communities
alike have taken notice of these trends. address homelessness, leaders in
They have come to seek solutions to help Washington County endorsed one
these families, men, and women and overarching policy principle gaining
simultaneously raise awareness that the national influence: the idea that
problem of homelessness no longer homelessness has been addressed for
belongs only to our County’s more too long as a crisis in need, primarily, of
populated and urban neighboring triage or short term management such as
communities. emergency shelter or emergency room
medical care. Instead, according to this
National Examples new principle, homelessness is
recognized as a complex socio-economic
Like all solutions to a problem, efforts to problem that requires a multi-part and
end homelessness start with a strong permanent solution. In Washington
plan. In recent years, leaders in County, where recent innovations to
Washington County observed as address homelessness have included
communities across the U.S. committed cutting edge models of supportive
to ending homelessness through 10-Year housing, such as our local Safe Haven
Plans to End Homelessness. Where at Program, this principle was a natural fit
first there were but a few, there were soon with the philosophy of our already
10-Year Plans issued by cities and states developing homeless service system.
nationwide. Many such plans contained
new strategies for solving homelessness. Homelessness Hurts
A number of them also had methods for
measuring the impact of these strategies A primary motivation for developing a 10-
with proven clear reductions in their Year Plan in Washington County was to
numbers of homeless people. In Oregon,


6 Introduction: Why a 10-Year Plan for Washington County?

either lessen the likelihood that members of our County’s hospital emergency rooms and medical
community become homeless or shorten the period services; a high cost service because they lack
of time during which those who experience this relationships with regular preventative health care.
crisis must endure it. In addition, homeless people create costs for local
law enforcement when their loitering or
disturbances lead to calls for police attention.
Without long-term solutions available in the
This Plan is the product of a comprehensive process community, local law enforcement expend
of participatory planning that engaged local public
resources on homelessness without helping to
and non-profit sector leadership, human service
solve the underlying problems.
providers, formerly homeless individuals, and
representatives of citizen groups.
Other homelessness induced costs are in evidence
for the County’s corrections and education system.
For one, those homeless men and women who
As homelessness increases in Washington County, were once incarcerated locally are more likely to
so too do its damaging secondary effects on return to Washington County’s jail, at considerable
people’s quality of life, health, and well being. expense, than their counterparts who find housing
These include worsened physical and mental health after release. In addition, the local public school
particularly for individuals who already had physical systems are burdened with the need to find
and psychiatric disabilities such as serious mental psychological and educational supports for
illness and addiction. Damage is also done to the homeless students. In general, homelessness
children of homeless families whose lives are forces many local service systems such as these to
thrown into upheaval, often for extended months at pay into managing the costs of homelessness and
a time. Repercussions include health and mental its effects. Through the 10-Year Plan, Washington
health problems, such as anxiety disorders, and County is setting out to invest in interventions that
interruptions to their participation in school and will solve the problem and lessen the burden overall
ability to learn. For persons who are working or that homelessness creates on our community.
seeking employment, homelessness challenges
their ability to maintain or secure jobs that will pay a
living wage. In general, the practical, social, and
Through the 10-Year Plan, Washington County is
emotional challenges of living without a home in
setting out to invest in interventions that will solve
Washington County create extraordinary challenges the problem and lessen the burden overall that
for all who experience this crisis. homelessness creates on our community.

Homelessness Costs
New Solutions
Also a contributing motivation for developing a 10-
Year Plan in Washington County is avoidance of
Yet another factor motivating Washington County to
the fiscal expenses that accumulate for the County
create this Plan is the current opportunity to borrow
when homelessness persists. For one, the local
from new solutions to ending homelessness being
emergency shelter system, in itself, is an expensive
tried and proven in other communities. Across the
intervention that was designed for very short term
country, many cities and counties have used 10-
stays to be cost effective. When families stay for
Year Plans to map out new or redirected paths
prolonged periods of time, as they increasingly do
towards lessening the likelihood that people will
in Washington County, the cost effectiveness of this
become homeless and shortening the experience of
service is lost. In addition, as is true nationwide,
homelessness. The example of these other
homeless people are frequent users of Washington


Introduction: Why a 10-Year Plan for Washington County? 7

communities provides Washington County with a
general sense of direction for the growth and
development of the relatively new network of
homeless services in our community.


8 Introduction: Why a 10-Year Plan for Washington County?


Introduction: Why a 10-Year Plan for Washington County? 9

Section Three PARTICIPATORY PLANNING:
The Process for Developing the Plan

The Washington County 10-Year Plan nized the importance of matching local
has many authors. It synthesizes views efforts with those underway at the state
of stakeholders at multiple levels and level. Accordingly, they aligned their local
sectors of local government, non-profit intentions to the goals set out in the
service organizations, and citizen Action Plan to End Homelessness in
volunteer groups. To effectively draw Oregon developed by the Oregon Ending
upon the insights and expertise of this rich Homelessness Advisory Council. Re-
diversity of participants, a multi-step viewed were specifics of the state’s
participatory planning process was vision, mission, parameters, values, and
devised. To enhance regional collab- action plan goals. This process ensured
oration, representatives from neighboring that the Plan strategies developed in
Multnomah County participated with local Washington County included the state’s
stakeholders on how best to complement intentions such as the goal of using data
efforts underway in the more central and and outcome based models to end
urban region that abuts Washington homelessness and that of improving
County. cross-system planning and policies that
end homelessness.
Planning Forums
Needs Assessment
The Washington County 10-Year Plan
planning process engaged local The 10-Year Plan planning process
stakeholders in a series of forums and began with a comprehensive
roundtables that took place between Homelessness Needs Assessment. This
October, 2007 and March, 2008. In these project included reviews of data, from
planning forums, participants studied both local and national sources, on
current national and local trends in poverty, the housing market, income,
homelessness, identified unmet needs in causes of homelessness, and growth of
Washington County, considered the homelessness in Washington County.
newest innovations and national best This needs assess-ment also investigated
practices in homelessness interventions, the unique experiences of specific
and consulted with 10-Year Plans subpopulations including homeless
produced in other communities. families, seniors, Latinos, chronically
Ultimately, they used these forums to homeless people, individuals leaving
collectively devise practical and cost correctional institutions, and single
effective strategies most likely to succeed homeless individuals living in wooded
in Washington County. areas and along the railroad corridor that
runs through Washington County. Also
Alignment with State Planning Efforts studied were inventories of existing
resources in the County for affordable
housing and the extent to which these are
At the outset of the planning process,
planners in Washington County recog-


10 Participatory Planning: The Process for Developing the Plan

accessible and utilized by homeless people. Within Plan Architects
this analysis, planners looked at the allocations of
federal money for housing and homelessness The specific strategies outlined in the Washington
programs in the County, numbers of beds in shelter County 10-Year Plan were designed by the service
and units of housing set aside for homeless people, experts participating in the Plan workgroups.
and waiting list figures and trends for both Specialists in the fields of human services,
emergency shelter and local affordable housing. education, housing, corrections, Veteran Affairs,
youth programming, homelessness outreach,
Plan Representation mental health, HIV/AIDS and public health were
recruited for their expertise. They were then
The Washington County 10-Year Plan planning organized into four
Leadership Plan
process had widespread participation. Included workgroups. The work
Group Champions
were community leaders, citizen volunteers, groups met throughout
formerly homeless people, shelter directors, local the fall and winter of
Workgroup
experts in services for the homeless, and state and 2007 and into early
Leaders Plan
county officials. Participants were organized into months of 2008 to
Architects choose and prioritize
two groupings: the plan’s leadership and the plan’s Four
architects. To bridge these two realms, individual specific strategies for
Workgroups
leaders were selected from among the Plan’s the Plan.
architects to serve as liaisons with the Plan’s

leadership. These liaisons also formed their own

peer roundtable to facilitate communication

between those who were generating ideas and to Workgroup I: Prevention & Emergency Services
send those ideas up to the Plan’s leadership.
The Prevention and Emergency Services
Plan Leaders Workgroup identified the most common tracks into
homelessness in Washington County and
pinpointed the most at-risk subpopulations. The
Recognizing that an effective 10-Year Plan requires
workgroup first considered which groups entering
engaging a range of community leaders associated
our community’s shelter and transitional housing
with the myriad issues that intersect to create
could have avoided homelessness. From there, the
homelessness, Washington County organized a 10-
workgroup examined what national best practices
Year Plan Leadership Group. This group oversaw
for prevention would be most effective in helping
the planning process from the outset and was
these groups avoid homelessness.
tasked with galvanizing support for the plan’s
strategies in multiple local sectors. The Leadership
Group was comprised of senior representatives WA County 10-Year Plan Leadership Group
from county and state agencies, law enforcement,
Workgroup Leaders
school districts, housing agencies, hospitals, and
local service organizations. Also represented were
leaders of civic volunteer groups and
representatives of local corporations.
Economic Prevention & Human Housing
Opportunity Emergency Supportive Workgroup
and Income Services Services

Workgroup Workgroup Workgroup


Participatory Planning: The Process for Developing the Plan 11

Workgroup II: Housing

Planning Process Calendar: WA County 10-Year Plan
The Housing Workgroup examined trends in afford- September 2007 Homelessness Needs Assessment
ability of local housing stock and identified barriers October 2007 Board of Commissioners Announcement
to access for homeless people. They also set October 2007 Preliminary Leadership Group Summit
specific goals for increasing the number of afford- October 2007 Workgroup Kick Off Sessions
able and supportive housing units that can be made November 2007 Workgroup Monthly Planning Sessions
accessible to people who are homeless. November 2007 Workgroup Leader Meetings
December 2007 Workgroup Monthly Planning Sessions
December 2007 Workgroup Leader Meetings
In addition, they identified new practices for making January 2008 Workgroup Monthly Planning Sessions
existing resources more accessible to homeless January 2008 Workgroup Monthly Planning Sessions
people and the housing finance mechanisms February 2008 Workgroup Leader Meetings
needed to achieve their goals. April 2008 Final Leadership Group Summit
May 2008 10-Year Plan Dissemination

Workgroup IV: Economic Opportunity/Income
Workgroup III. Human Supportive Services Support

The Human Supportive Services Workgroup The Economic Opportunity and Income Support
examined how existing service systems intersect Workgroup examined the need for increasing job
with the homeless system and assessed the opportunities and access to income entitlements for
efficacy and adequacy of services delivered at homeless people. This workgroup took up the
emergency, transitional, and permanent housing concern for how homeless people can increase
stages. The workgroup identified unmet needs and their chances of earning a living wage and affording
developed models for delivering immediate and to pay steady rent in our community. They
long term supportive services to all homeless assessed the extent of local job opportunities for
populations in Washington County. homeless and formerly homeless people to
increase their incomes. In addition, the workgroup
explored national best practice models for
improving access to the income entitlements of SSI
and TANF.

10-Year Plan Workgroups

I Homelessness Prevention and Emergency Services Workgroup

II Housing Workgroup

III Human Supportive Services Workgroup

IV. Economic Opportunity and Income Support Workgroup


12 Participatory Planning: The Process for Developing the Plan


Participatory Planning: Reality Assessment: 13

Section Four REALITY ASSESSMENT:
Homelessness in Washington County Today

Washington County is one of 36 counties COUNTY POPULATION GROWTH 2
in Oregon. Lying just west of the City of
Portland, it captures 25 percent of the 1. The population of WA County was
Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area. 514,269 persons in the 2006 census.
The County includes four moderate sized 2. WA County’s growth rate was 43
cities as well as expansive open space. percent from 1990 to 2000 which is
In total, the County has 723 square miles. nearly double that of Oregon.
Long considered a rural area, the County 3. WA County experienced a 43 percent
only recently experienced significant increase in the number of children
population growth and, with it, rapid during the last decade.
urbanization in concentrated areas. 4. WA County ranked second among the
four counties in the region for population
New growth in Washington County growth during the 1990s (Clark County
brought many changes including some of surpassed WA County by only two
the social and economic pressures that percentage points).
formerly belonged only to neighboring
counties to the east. Among these trends
is our relatively new and persistent
problem of homelessness among our Particularly concerning has been the
most vulnerable citizens. steady rise, especially since 2005, in the
number of families within the group who
Homeless Numbers Rising are found to be homeless in our County.
Today, relative to other areas of Oregon,
In recent years, the number of homeless our County’s school systems have the
people has risen steadily in Washington third highest number of enrolled students
County. This is most in evidence each counted as homeless.3 A lengthening
year through improved outreach when a waiting list for emergency shelter for
team of local human service providers homeless families in Washington County
carries out our One Night Count of all reflects this trend.4
homeless individuals and families who
can be found in the community. The Rent Burdens
counting team has seen that number rise
from less than 200 people found in 2002 It is widely agreed that the single most
to six times as many identified only a half common factor contributing to home-
a decade later.1

2 WA County Housing Study and Data, Population Research
Center, Portland State University, 2003
3 Oregon Department of Education; Enrolled K-12 Homeless
Student Data Collection
1WA County One Night Count of Homeless Population; 2002- 4 Community Action, Washington County, Waiting List for All
2007 Local Family Shelters


14 Reality Assessment: Homelessness in Washington Country Today

Growth of Homelessness in Washington County
1400

# Homeless on a Given Night
1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0
Year 2002 Year 2003 Year 2004 Year 2005 Year 2006 Year 2007

lessness in Washington County is the financial Who is Homeless?
burden of rents that cost too much. A typical
catalyst into homelessness for a rent burdened In many respects, people who are homeless in
household in our community is some form of small Washington County reflect the diversity of faces of
crisis such as a change in income, a rent increase, homeless people nationwide and the growing racial
or an unanticipated medical expense which tips the and ethnic diversity of Washington County and
precarious balance maintained between housing Oregon at large. As with all of the U.S.,
costs and income. The risk for homelessness Washington County’s homeless population has high
associated with being rent burdened is prevalent for representations of people with disabilities, youth,
both homeless individuals and families in and persons leaving medical and correctional
Washington County.5 For persons with disabilities, institutions with no home to which they can return.
making ends meet with only monthly checks for SSI
disability income, the rent burden in Washington Counties in Oregon 2006-2007
County can make most housing options beyond with Highest Homeless Homeless Student
their reach.6 Student Counts Count: Hi to Low7
Multnomah 2,838
The backdrop to these housing affordability
Lane 1,965
problems in Washington County is the recent
Washington 1,640
population growth which brought changes to our
Jackson 1,503
housing market making many new housing
Marion 1,168
developments and formerly affordable sectors of
Clackamas 782
our existing rental housing out of reach to our
Deschutes 735
lowest income renters.
Linn 566
Klamath 480
Douglas 467

5 WA County One Night Count of Homeless Population; 2002-2007 7 Oregon Department of Education, Enrolled K-12 Homeless Student Data
6 National Low Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach Report, 2007 Collection


Reality Assessment: Homelessness in Washington County Today 15

RENT BURDENED HOUSEHOLDS 8

1. % of renters in WA County is: 39%
2. 2007 Fair Market Rents for 1 bedroom apartment: $638
3. 2007 Fair Market Rents for 2 bedroom apartment: $737
4. 2007 Fair Market Rents for 3 bedroom apartment: $1,073
5. % change from 2000 rents to 2007 rents: 11%
6. Annual income needed to afford 1 bedroom FMR: $25,520
9. % of renters unable to afford 2 bedroom FMR: 34%
10. Rent affordable at minimum wage: $390
11. # work hours needed/ week to afford 1 bedroom: 65
12. Monthly SSI payment: $603
13. Rent affordable at SSI $181

While Washington County’s homeless population Other Causes of Homelessness
generally reflects national demographic trends, the
County has some distinctions that set it apart from In addition to the burden of unaffordable rents and
the national profile. For one, Washington County the lack of affordable housing options to which
has a slightly higher proportion of families relative to stressed households can turn, there are a
homeless single individuals.9 In addition, the constellation of other factors contributing to
County has a slightly higher proportion of homelessness in Washington County. These
individuals who are considered chronically include domestic violence, problems with untreated
homeless meaning their life on the streets or in the drug and alcohol addiction, barriers to housing for
woods has persisted for years or that they have individuals without the background to prove their
experienced multiple repeated episodes of candidacy as good tenants, and unmet needs for
homelessness.10 coordinated support services for individuals
disabled with serious and chronic issues such as
mental illness.11

Top 10 Catalysts to Homelessness for
Washington County Families

Rent Burden
Unemployed
Domestic Violence
Other
Eviction
Drugs/ Alcohol (self )
Kicked Out
Drugs/ Alcohol (in home)
Criminal History
Poor Rental History

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

8 National Low Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach Report, 2007
9 U.S. Department of HUD, The Homeless in America: A Profile Based on the
First Annual Homeless Assessment Report, 2005
10 Ibid 11 WA County One Night Count of Homeless Population; 2002-2007


16 Reality Assessment: Homelessness in Washington Country Today


Reality Assessment: Washington County Tomorrow: 17

Section Five WASHINGTON COUNTY TOMORROW:
10-Year Plan Goals and Strategies

Six Goals prevent vulnerable households and
individuals from becoming homeless and
Our community’s 10-Year Plan has six entering a cycle of exacerbated health,
general goals to be attained over the social, and economic problems. New
course of the next decade in Washington prevention measures will focus on at-risk
County. Each goal is correlated with households and invest in problem-solving,
several specific strategies -- many of referral, and crisis intervention that is
which are drawn from the examples of inexpensive relative to the costs of
other 10-Year Plan communities in homelessness. For example, households
Oregon and in others nationwide. Some that have been served eviction papers for
of these strategies are new initiatives nonpayment of rent by their landlords will
requiring resourceful pursuit of federal be referred by the local court to a service
and state resources as well as intervention designed to help solve the
investments from private contributors. crisis jeopardizing their tenancy or to
Others will come about by shifting the identify a housing alternative. In addition,
existing resources in our community and landlords in our community will have a
investing in “pilot” initiatives that, when point-of-contact to assist them in resolving
proven, will invite funding from outside problems with very low-income tenants
partners. In other cases, the 10-Year who are vulnerable to homelessness.
Plan strategies call only for implementing
new policies or practices that will, in and Furthermore, our local institutions such as
of themselves, better our impact on our hospitals, detoxification units, and
homelessness without requiring new corrections facilities will also participate in
funding. All of the goals and strategies in prevention activity designed to identify
the 10-Year Plan were chosen for their individuals leaving such institutions at
proven track record, their cost- discharge with no home to which they can
effectiveness, and their likelihood of return. Cross-trainings of staff in the
addressing the root cause of homeless service system and staff within
homelessness. Taken together, these these local medical and correctional
strategies will significantly amplify our institutions will help stem the trend of
community’s commitment to reducing discharges to homelessness.
homelessness. Complementing these interventions will
be our expanded inventory of affordable
housing and supportive housing providing
more alternatives for financially stressed
households to find less rent-burdened
Prevent People from Becoming Home-
housing arrangements and reduce the
less
likelihood that they will become homeless.

Our 10-Year Plan will develop and
implement a series of new initiatives to


18 Washington County Tomorrow: 10-Year Plan Goals and Strategies

Move People into Housing Link People to Appropriate Services and
Remove Barriers
The 10-Year Plan considers affordable and
supportive housing as the primary solutions to the The 10-Year Plan outlines several new service
problem of homelessness in our community. In the strategies to support the large proportion of
next ten years, we will take a number of steps to homeless people in our community who require
create new housing opportunities for homeless more than simply housing to resolve their
people and redirect some of our existing resources homelessness. Central to these strategies will be a
towards housing that meets the needs of homeless Unified Assessment System that aligns homeless
people. The plan is built around the concept of families and individuals to appropriate services and
“housing first” whereby homeless people are linked housing. In conjunction, an on-line Roadmap
quickly and efficiently with housing without undue Resource Directory of all services and housing
intermediary steps or barriers. Specific new available in the County will be developed to assist
programs will include directing long-term rental homeless people, providers, advocates and the
assistance to homeless people and creating new community at-large to work together in prevention
pools of transitional and short-term subsidies to be of homelessness and support homeless persons to
used by individuals in shelters and living on the obtain housing and move towards self-sufficiency.
streets to exit homelessness rapidly and establish
residential stability. Also to be expanded is the
inventory of supportive housing tailored for
homeless persons with disabilities such as serious All of the goals and strategies in the 10-Year Plan
mental illness. Due to the high cost of new were chosen for their proven track record, their cost-
development in Washington County that is effectiveness, and their likelihood of addressing the
attributable in part to increased land values, the root cause of homelessness.
housing strategy will focus on acquisition and
rehabilitation whenever it is most cost-effective.
In conjunction, a one-stop Homeless Resource
Center where individuals and families who are
In addition to creating new housing units specifically
homeless and their advocates can connect with
for homeless people, our community will take steps
multiple service providers in one centralized and
to develop rental housing that is set aside for very
well equipped location. To engage homeless
low income individuals, who earn less than 30
individuals who are currently not linked with any
percent of our area’s’ median income, in general.
services and are camped in our woods and along
To complement efforts at expanding opportunities
our railroad tracks, a new outreach team will bring
for homeless people, a concerted effort will also be
the most hard-to-reach populations into the network
made to attract and maintain private market
of existing support services and link them directly
landlords as participants in our rental assistance
with housing. For those single adults who require
programs through the creation of a landlord risk
emergency housing, the Resource Center will be
mitigation fund and landlord access to case
able to offer short-term emergency interim housing.
management staff. These strategies will encourage
landlords to allow greater flexibility in their
Among existing resources for low income people in
screening criteria and to rent more willingly to
general, particular effort will be made to better the
formerly homeless people.
access that homeless and formerly homeless
people have to food and nutrition programs, child
care, and Veterans Administration services.


Washington County Tomorrow: 10-Year Plan Goals and Strategies 19

Increase Income Support and Economic Expand Data Collection
Opportunities
The 10-Year Plan includes multiple new strategies,
The 10-Year Plan recognizes that each homeless pilot initiatives, and policy changes. To understand
person in the County requires some source of the relative impact of these plans and related
steady living wage income, either through a public general trends about the paths into and out of
entitlement program or via employment, to resolve homelessness in our community, empirical data will
homelessness and to maintain housing for the long be required. To meet this need, the Plan will
term. For those who can work, the primary strategy establish the Homeless Management Information
will be to expand and sustain the existing Housing System (HMIS) as the delivery system for data
Education Linking Partners Program such that it collection of unsheltered and sheltered homeless
can continue to provide employment and life skills persons. While the HMIS already exists, it will be
training for homeless people and can serve more expanded to include a wider number of community-
homeless people in the future. In addition, the Plan based users to ensure a comprehensive data
intends to help position homeless people to be compilation pertaining to homeless persons
more ready to take advantage of mainstream and receiving services within the County.
community-based employment services that exist in
the County by offering better access to child care Another source for disseminating data will be the
and to a means of obtaining personal identification Housing and Supportive Services Network (HSSN)
cards. monthly meetings where the quantified impacts of
10-Year Plan strategies will be regularly assessed.
For those homeless people who have a disability In addition, the County will continue submitting local
such as mental illness, the Plan includes several data for use in the Annual Homeless Assessment
strategies for increasing their access to SSI/SSDI. Report (AHAR) that is provided to the federal
These include making the County a local host for government.
training of case managers on how to assemble
successful SSI applications for homeless people
and developing a small cadre of specialists trained
to work with any homeless applicant in the County
and increase their chances of qualifying. In the Implement Public Education on Homelessness
realm of generating jobs, the Plan calls for
recruiting the private sector business community The final goal of our 10-Year Plan is to build
into “Job Fairs” at the annual Project Homeless support in our community amongst local citizens for
Connect event. Employers will also be recruited to the strategies in the 10-Year Plan and to use the
participate in a new supported employment strategy commitment of those citizen groups that already
targeted to homeless individuals who have difficulty exist to enhance our response to homelessness.
retaining employment. Among our first public education strategies will be a
media campaign designed to demystify the truth
about who is homeless and why they become
homeless in our community. The 10-Year Plan will
use this campaign and other methods to engage
citizen, private, public and nonprofit business
partners in facilitating the development of specific
strategies in the Plan. Ongoing communications


20 Washington County Tomorrow: 10-Year Plan Goals and Strategies

with any interested citizen constituencies will
include an annual report on the status of the 10-
Year Plan, addressed to the Washington County
Board of Commissioners, which will be made
available to the public. In addition, education about
the 10-Year Plan will extend to homeless and
formerly homeless people themselves who will be
encouraged to participate in consumer advisory
activities and other leadership roles within
organizations serving home-less people.


21

Section Six IMPLEMENTATION:
Making the Plan a Reality

The 10-Year Plan has a clear roadmap for at these strategies after studying the
its implementation. It includes tools for homelessness interventions of
organizing details of the Plan, stated neighboring counties in Oregon and then
specifics pertaining to goals and intended extending that perspective to include
outcomes, an organizational system other cities and counties nationwide. To
identified to oversee implementation, identify those national practices that
timeframes, and reporting methods that would be most feasible in Washington
will communicate progress of the Plan to County, the architects read and compared
all relevant constituencies. other 10-Year Plans, attended a national
conference on ending homelessness,
The Matrix of Strategies investigated specific projects of interest,
and read literature summarizing and
Each strategy in the Plan is detailed in the comparing the merits of various practices.
Matrix of Strategies found in the
Visualizing the Plan section of this report.
On this matrix, the Plan’s specific
recommended strategies are each A subset of the strategies in the Plan are considered
national best practices with proven effectiveness in
correlated with methods for
other parts of country.
implementation, measures of success,
funding options, estimated cost, and the
agency responsible for facilitating
implementation. Strategies on the Matrix Implementation of the national best
identify anticipated timeframe for their practices in the Plan will begin with
implementation with goals set for the reviews of literature published on these
specific year over the course of the 10- practices and with direct consultation to
Year Plan that each strategy will come to local government officials and community-
fruition. This Matrix will be the primary based organizations in other parts of the
reference used by all parties involved in U.S. with experience implementing these
the Plan’s implementation. It will be ideas. Representatives from Washington
regularly updated to reflect changes in County will identify contact people for
intentions or modifications to the each practice, learn details of their
strategies. programs, and develop implementation
plans that reflect the experience of
Implementation of National Best national practitioners. This process will
Practices be carried out for the following practices
in the Plan:
A subset of the strategies in the Plan can
be considered national best practices
which have been replicated in other parts
of the U.S. The architects of the
Washington County 10-Year Plan arrived


22 Implementation: Making the Plan a Reality

representing all of the primary organizations and
1. Court-based Homelessness Diversion local government offices that interface with
Specialist homelessness. This group will continue its
2. Homelessness Prevention Practiced by Medical calendar of monthly meetings and include activity
and Correctional Institutions related to the 10-Year Plan on its regular agenda.
3. Housing First Long-Term Rental Assistance In addition, responsibility for planning specifics of
4. Short-Term Shallow Rental Subsidies as individual strategies of the 10-Year Plan will be
Temporary Bridges Out of Homelessness assumed by the agency identified as responsible in
5. Long-Term Supportive Housing for Disabled the Matrix of Strategies.
Homeless
6. Finance Mechanisms to Increase Housing for Progress Reporting on the Plan
Extremely Low Income Persons
7. Risk Retention Pool to Protect Landlord Key to the success of the 10-Year Plan will be
Relationships regular reporting on the Plan’s progress to all
8. Assertive Homeless Outreach and Engagement participants in the 10-Year Plan planning process.
9. One-Stop Resource Center for Homeless On an annual basis, an Interim Report to the
People with Service Linkages County Board of Commissioners on the status of
10. Interim Housing Beds in Lieu of Emergency the 10-Year Plan will be issued and made available
Shelter to all of the Plan’s participants and the public at
11. Local Homeless Resource and Housing large.
Vacancy List Roadmap
12. Unified Housing Screening Tool In addition, an Advisory Committee made up of
13. SSI/SSDI Application Specialist Cadre members of the 10-Year Plan’s Leadership Group
14. SSI/SSDI Outreach Access and Recovery and participants in the Workgroups will be formed.
Training This group will meet to review and evaluate the
15. Expanded Data Collection on Homelessness progress of the Plan, critically review the Interim
Trends Report, make updates to the Matrix, and chart the
16. Use of Data to Assess Impact of Programs and next year’s course of action.
Systems
17. Public Education Media Campaign on
Homelessness

Key to the success of the 10-Year Plan will be regular
reporting to all participants in the 10-Year Plan
planning process about its progress.

Facilitation of the Plan

While many agencies will be engaged in
implementation of the 10-Year Plan, there will be
one primary group overseeing progress and
strategizing to meet the Plan’s goals. This
leadership will be provided by the existing
Washington County Housing and Support Services
Network (HSSN) which is made up of leaders

A Permanent Place: A 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness

23

Section Seven VISUALIZING THE PLAN:
A Matrix of the Strategies

Goals and Strategies Matrix Prepared by:
Annette Evans, Washington County Housing Services

Goal 1: Prevent People from Becoming Homeless .......................................................... 24
Goal 2: Move People into Housing ..................................................................................... 27
Goal 3: Link People to Appropriate Services and Remove Barriers............................... 31
Goal 4: Increase Income Support and Economic Opportunities .................................... 34
Goal 5: Expand Data Collection ......................................................................................... 36
Goal 6: Implement Public Education on Homelessness ................................................. 37


Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness: Washington County, OR

Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness: Washington County, OR

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