City of Portland Homelessness and Behavioral Health
‘The Humanitarian Crisis of Our Lifetime’
The complexity of the homelessness issue is apparent in its numbers. According to the 2023 Point in Time Count, thousands of people are living unsheltered on our streets. Overall homelessness in Portland increased by 65% from 2015 to 2023 (from 1,887 to 6,297 individuals).
During that same time period, the City of Portland spent $1.7B on affordable housing development and other services, including the opening of 4,608 affordable housing units. These funds supported prevention measures (e.g. housing subsidies) for 35,550 Portlanders in 2022. Additionally, 13,190 Portlanders received permanent housing assistance in 2022. Despite these efforts, many who seek affordable housing still face years-long waiting lists.
