By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has denied Lincoln County’s request to be included in her homelessness emergency declaration.
Among Kotek’s first official acts in January was an emergency order declaring a state of emergency to respond to Oregon’s homelessness crisis. The executive order directed state agencies to spend tens of millions of dollars and removed bureaucratic hurdles for the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to coordinate response with other state and local agencies.
But the emergency declaration left out Lincoln County and everywhere else in Oregon outside the Portland, Salem, Eugene, Bend or Medford metropolitan areas. County commissioners and coastal legislators protested, and Kotek responded by providing a path for rural counties to be included in the state of emergency.
The governor has since accepted applications from Clatsop and Malheur counties. Two weeks ago, Wasco County’s application was denied based on data about the increase in homelessness rates.
Lincoln County commissioners declared a local homeless emergency March 8 in its own bid for inclusion.
In a letter last week to commissioners, Kotek said Lincoln County also failed to qualify.
According to the letter, the county’s application was evaluated on three criteria. It met the first — 53 homeless people in the county are unsheltered, more than the 30 required. But that’s not a high enough percentage of the total homeless population, according to the criteria. At least 80 percent of a county’s homeless people must be unsheltered to qualify, and about one-third of Lincoln County’s homeless have no shelter, according to official figures in an annual survey called the “point-in-time count.”
The third criteria is an increase in total homelessness of at least 50 percent from 2017 to 2022 — not just for Lincoln County, but for the county averaged in with every rural county in the state.
An unfortunate metric
The federal government divides states into “continuums of care” for the purposes of distributing funds and services. In Oregon, the continuums are: the Portland, Bend, Eugene, Salem and Medford metropolitan areas; and everywhere else, called the “balance of the state” continuum. So Lincoln County’s homeless rate is averaged with counties that have no shelters and less than 1,000 people.
According to point-in-time counts, the homeless population in the balance of the state actually decreased 52 percent from 2017-2022
Kotek’s letter acknowledges that county commissioners submitted an alternative figure for the local area showing a 416 percent increase in homelessness. But it says “our data experts followed up with the county and determined that this increase likely reflected a change in data collection processes.”
Kotek stressed the denial from the emergency declaration did not mean she did not acknowledge the seriousness of homelessness in Lincoln County nor did it exclude rural areas from a different package of state homelessness response funds.
“You have my commitment to continue working with you to find solutions,” Kotek wrote, offering to have state staff discuss with the county in detail what resources will be available.
Homeless advocates have long lamented shortcomings of the point-time-count. It relies on counting homeless people in shelters or visible on streets where surveyors look on a single winter night.
And commissioners have noted that Lincoln County’s last count was restricted, consisting only of anyone signed in to a cold-weather shelter program – yet there was no permanent shelter in the county – and surveyors counting homeless people they saw while driving up and down U.S. Highway 101.
Another indicator that Lincoln County’s homeless population is not accurately represented is data on student homelessness, which is determined under a different process. A federal process requires a full student body survey and counts four types of homelessness — unsheltered, in a shelter, in hotels or living with friends or relatives, which is typically the highest share. It also counts how many students are unaccompanied by a parent or guardian.
By this metric, Lincoln County consistently has among the top five student homelessness rates in the state and often has been the highest. Although Lincoln has about 1/16 the population of Multnomah County, in 2017-18 it had 1,016 homeless students, about one-fourth the number of the state’s most populous county. And that represented a more than 100 percent increase since 2007.
But the annual point-in-time counts exclude homeless students not in a shelter or seen on the street.
“We know with the evidence of our own eyes that homelessness has increased in recent years,” said county commissioner Claire Hall, who has long been involved in homelessness issues and is the commission’s lead on the county’s five-year homeless response strategy.
Help on the way
“It’s a blow, because we know we need the assistance,” Hall said. “Fortunately, we’ve also been told there are funds on the way to the entire state and specifically for counties not included in the emergency.”
The Oregon Legislature last week adopted a $220 million emergency funding package now on the governor’s desk, money that is allocated from the current two-year budget ending in July as well as the next biennial budget.
“The good news is, I think Lincoln County could end up seeing more money by not being included in the emergency,” said Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis, vice chair of the budget writing Joint Ways and Means Committee. The early adoption of the bills means government agencies can start the distribution process months earlier, he added.
Gomberg pointed to House Bill 5019, which provides about $27 million to counties not included in the emergency declaration, with a goal of rehousing 450 people and expanding shelter capacity by 100 beds.
Counties included in the emergency order have access to about $112 million to add shelter beds and rehouse homeless, with a goal of expanding shelter capacity by 700. More than two-thirds of the state’s estimated homeless population resides in those counties.
The legislation allocates about $34 million for statewide homelessness prevention programs, aiming to keep 9,000 families from losing their homes with rental assistance. Lincoln County could see some of that funding.
And of perhaps particular interest to the county with its high rate of student homelessness, the bills include about $25 million for services to homeless youth.
- Kenneth Lipp is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached at KenLipp@YachatsNews.com
I am a Democrat, but made the mistake of backing her. I contacted her concerning the end of food stamp allotments and got a canned response with a link to something that didn’t work. I contacted Gomberg, but didn’t hear back, not even a canned response. They both know that if the state doesn’t step up and do something about food for families and seniors there will be even more homeless when the choice is food or shelter. The price of food did not go down just because the allotment’s ended. Why won’t they acknowledge this and do something?
Yes, I totally agree. They cut my food stamps down to $36 a month. I am going to be 70 in April. What are we supposed to do? I can’t live on $36 a month. I guess I have to go begging with a sign asking for food.
Mine were cut too. I need to eat. I backed her now I’m regretting my decision. I’m on disability which doesn’t allow for extras. I was happy I could at least count on my food stamps to make sure I had food to eat all month long. Not now.
Kotek can’t be blamed for the ending of a federal food program.
How about “going working?”
Well work or “going working” is a great idea but I can tell you having worked well over 40 years, and being in my 60’s if one is honest about one’s health and physical condition not many job offers will result from an exhaustive job search with a willingness to take whatever is available.
Your not serious, that’s a great idea for an able body person but reality is some of us in our 60s and worked are asses off for years can’t physically work and not getting SSI.
So true. I worked labor jobs until my back went out. Now after several surgeries I can walk and stand for short periods. Doctors paid by the state said I should be able to work a job, but I need to lay flat for 15 minutes every hour to straighten out and relieve the pain. What job can you do that with?
What about if you worked for 20 years, got sick, was legally declared disabled, and can’t go back to work due to a disability? Ok, so tell me what you want me to do about food, when they cut my food stamps, and I can’t work? Tell me so I can know too.
I volunteered for a community input session in the county I live in during our sessions we were asked ideas on how to bring communities together there were 4 sessions total. Mind you that all were close to were I live. However the non profit doing it provided hotel accommodations and food. Which I felt could have been used for other stuff.
During sessions we came up with great I deas.for different ways to help communities.what we learned was that small county dont recieve mochas far as help. The county I live in is a big county but is sped out with many small towns and still is on bottom of totom pole.
While in these sessions it was brought to my attention from person who got masters degree in human behavior with the Hope’s of come back to community to help o uh r struggling youth. She spent over a month with homeless on the streets of Portland and during this she learn of things most are unaware of and it has been an issue for her moving forward in school where she was focus on getting her doctor so she could be the one writing papers. What she found is that organizations that get Grant’s for certain things these grant are suppose to be looked into after they are issued. But the truth is they aren’t so alot of these Grant’s get used for things they aren’t suppose to which the biggest majority is grant fir homeless. And why it has become an epidemic. In Portland you have the business alliance being the biggest obstacle for the situation at had. They refuse to budge on some things.
And the homeless that they are fighting are only the 10 % of a group of individuals that many individuals clump together. These 19% are you re addicts and alcoholics that became the poster of what homeless was. But the truth is that’s a small number. Of individuals that are keeping the truth if homelessness in the news.
In my community 5 of the 6 schools were among the top in the nation fir children experiencing homelessness or living in a home that had no power,water etc.
These were all subjects in these sessions.
During the last session we were then asked what we hoped to see from thus experience.
I said less talk and more action that community were tired of hearing what I now no most community just get info but never put forth after what it experience. The answer to the majority of us that had same answer was. That thus was more than they were able to put forth that iij t would take to many people and money to figure out. I was so outraged by this because this non profit is one of the biggest in oregon and if they couldn’t find a way to start some of our idea which I think they took some of our example look es and made a flyer that was mailed to cities across oregon . But I bet you that session cost easily $35000 used to get ideas and has been used for decades now all talk no action
Research. If you house the first you will succeed we have to many building and home roting away that could be used. And the one thing I see is that communities need to help thise in there community. Because all the money goes to big city big business alliances. Contractors and so on so. Make a plan and follow it dont let anything stop you people are good and history proves that in tough times people help
Don’t know where you live Jan but you’ll find the food banks very accommodating and helpful. There’s no shame in going. You may be surprised to find that some of their volunteers apply for and get a food box. ~
Don’t get angry with me for asking this, but can’t you go find a job and make some money to buy your own food?
Lower skilled, older job applicants are consistently screened out for employment. I’m a well-educated, relatively healthy senior and cannot tell you how many jobs I’ve applied to and been rejected.
Ironically, the types of jobs that hire seniors are those which require people to stand or walk all day – cashiers, stockers, caregivers, etc.
Your body suffers from wear and tear after your 60’s. Many older people have back, hip and foot ailments that make it impossible to be on your feet all day.
I totally agree with you. My husband and I are younger (56 and 62) disabled seniors and I really don’t think we’ll make it since our SNAP was canceled. Supposedly we make too much but when your mortgage, car payment and bills add up and you have $200 left for food, gas and miscellaneous. I know we’ll probably end up homeless. But seriously, do you think they’ll listen to us? Absolutely not. It seems like seniors and disabled get left out. It’s really sad. At least the President wants to give families money for kids which will help them (but it will probably be thrown out) but once again it leaves out seniors and disabled. This country is in poor shape.
Before you become homeless, do a reverse mortgage
Normal, no wonder over half the state wants to join Idaho. If you do not live in the greater Portland area or other larger cities, you’re out of luck.
And yet the only places that are of concern to her, are the counties that voted for her. Go figure!
Chuck, this is exactly what I thought when I read this article.
Has anybody actually taken an in depth look at/into Idaho? That state is bad in so so so many ways. Unless you’re in Boise or Sun Valley (or to a lesser extent Coeur d’alene), the state government doesn’t care about you. It’s the same in every single state. What made things exponentially worse was Covid. The fighting and whining about people’s rights to not wear masks and socially distance. We are all in this together. If we all look out for one another, then we can truly make our country and world a better place. Forget all of the politics, bigotry, class warfare, religious differences, greed, hatred, vengeance, whining, posturing and crazy Q-like conspiracy nonsense. Let’s work together for the betterment of our fellow neighbors. Our communities. And for the betterment of our very souls.
We need to stop waiting on any form of government to bail us out and start fixing everything ourselves. I’m disabled, have been for 15 years and I’m not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. But I am willing to do what I can, when I can, to help better the world. If it’s cleaning up garbage on a beach or a street, or giving coats/food/what little money I have to help someone who needs it, then I will. If we can all help in even the smallest of ways, let alone larger and more involved ways, then things will only get better. Put aside the countless differences that only serve to get in the way of kindness. Just be kind.
I say let’s move all the homeless people to the large counties so they can get the help they so desperately need. I don’t understand how the state can determine how many homeless people there are in any given smaller county by driving around each area for one night. That’s just crazy!
This is what happens when we elect liberal politicians to office. They eagerly take taxes and jump to regulate the rural population but only direct funding to the areas that paid their way to office.
I think we have a generation of children that prefer socialism over working for a living and making a difference. We have a governor that falls right in line with that statement. It is a sad state that the metropolitan areas rule over the high quality clean living coastal folks and everyone else not in the metro areas controlled by Kotex supporters.
No we have a generation who’s watched their parents work two, sometimes three jobs and still never got anywhere. This generation says enough, I’m not going to work for companies that pay peanuts and rely on Government subsidies to subsidise their low salaries and wages. Companies in the U.S. can afford to pay better wages and benefits, they just don’t want to because it would cut into their CEO’s 10 million a year plus salary.
Bottom line is this is not a county issue it’s a state issue having no real solution in place. We can bitch about our politicians rather liberal or conservative but that does nothing to solve the problem — it’s about policy and ridiculous criteria requirements. We simply must recognize this homeless situation as a state emergency as a whole and address it accordingly. Each county in Oregon, big and small, is suffering and Democrats as well as Republicans need to pay attention and do their jobs.
This is a joke right? I’ve been unemployed and homeless not from a lack of wanting to know where I’ll be sleeping or if I’m gonna freeze to death. And do you know what a tattered clothed homeless is considered in different places in Lincoln City’s segregated communities? Nimby people or vagrants and when you attempt to work they say uh-uh no-no, Not In My Neighborhoods. So I say shame the government and get someone in here that knows us.
You’re homeless because you will not get off your butt and work. I am not sorry I said that. All I have seen is beggars and leaches. “Do you want a job?” I asked a homeless squatter in my 81-year-old father’s property, sleeping in his wood shed? He said no I don’t want to work. There you have it. I started a business when Covid started. I can’t find one decent person to work paying $20 an hour. First question from them is “How much will I get paid; when do I get paid; and, and what do I have to do? No. You want a job like I provide, you say where and when and you work period.
Wow, I’m not homeless and I don’t need a job, but I can see why you can’t find any help with your attitude. I pity anyone who does.
Thanks to mail in voting Oregon, Tina Kotek, a.k.a. Kate Brown, pulled off the ‘win’ even though Christine Drazan was polling ahead of her right up to election day. And Tina Kotek’s approval rating is in the 40% range, not good for a person who has been governor less than four months. It is time Oregon returns to in-person voting.
Well for the liberals who voted for her, Kotek is “what you see is what you get.” After months of seeing the beautiful city of Portland being destroyed vandalized, statue’s being torn apart businesses closing their doors and yet a liberal was still voted in. Forty years since our last Republican governor, it would have been nice to give a Republican a chance to see what they could do. Unfortunately, we’ll never know. So if you’re a Democrat and you’re complaining — you bought you own it.
The number of homeless people in Lincoln County is accompanied by a large number of elderly and disabled folks living in RVs that must stay on the move because RV parks only allow two-week stays, punctuated by a requirement that they can only return after a week-long absence.
The recent addition of power surcharges in the RV parks adds a new financial burden on folks who have nothing but small Social Security stipends to rely on.
Stop voting for democrats or republicans. No amount of money will solve homelessness. Ever. If your water pipe bursts would your solution be to use towels for eternity to sop up the water? Dealing with symptoms (homelessness) of a failed system doesn’t fix anything.
excellent insight!
If the governor ever came to Newport she would see the homeless problem we have here. Don’t know who/how their qualifications were developed, but to not include Lincoln County stinks of politics. Come to Newport, governor.
She said every person in Oregon deserves to have a roof over their head. She must have forgotten that she said that. What she probably meant to say, was only Portland matters to her and the homeless people that live in our counties don’t matter to her at all.
I didn’t vote for her. I absolutely don’t agree with her at all. I live in this county. I see so many people and seniors all over with no housing, no help. You say there’s money coming but don’t keep your hopes up. Every time money is expected they find another use. It breaks my heart to see people living within the trees, on the beach or under the bridges. I see them every day. Our county is suffering at the seams. The numbers they use are older and only counted people from the Census, which isn’t all of them considering they are sometimes hiding to stay away from people and don’t want to be bothered. I see seniors with clothes so big they fall off living in the trees with nothing, others walking the streets or sleeping on the sidewalk or under anything for shelter. Don’t count on any immediate help it just won’t happen. They took money from SNAP eligible people and with double to triple the cost of food now they can’t eat for what they get. Just plain frustrating. Really thinking about leaving this county and this over-taxed state! We just can’t live comfortably with the way things are here in Lincoln County.
Better start community gardens. To those able bodied help each other out. By starting a community greenhouse and grow local food for donation no cost for those who are hungry with no means to buy food.
What’s the plan? What is the plan to eliminate homelessness in Oregon? We are going to become the homeless state of the USA, if we don’t do something now and billions of dollars will be lost if there is no plan. I’m so tired of inadequate governance that has no clue on how to tackle this code red issue. Get a brain trust task force together and get a plan done by the end of the year. Stop throwing money at the streets with no clear path out of this devastating problem. Get going and take charge, governor. Keep your promise.
I get sad. Regardless of the cause, I find that I am sad that people are homeless and more are becoming homeless. So many vacant houses, business buildings, motels. Tax write off investment properties that sit empty while people.for whatever reason sit on blankets they own that are dirty.
Dogs don’t work, don’t ask to be born, shelters don’t put them on the street at 6 a.m. and open their doors back up at 6 p.m. They can sleep anytime. People put food out for them. They install heat lamps without even owning a cat or dog.
People have to justify obtaining their basic needs. People will care for animals but not allow organized care for homeless human beings. What are we afraid of? We are disillusioned to believe we own anything. Stability, assets, they can be gone in one fell swoop of nature. Would you rely on the government? Would you hope that a neighbor would not be afraid of you.
Unbelievable to ask for a handout for the homeless issue when you’ve decriminalized drugs! Is no one going to talk about or acknowledge how decriminalization has been the biggest enabler/catalyst to this problem?
Ugh
Yes it has! Change that law, arrest the people doing drugs, arrest, the drug dealers, arrest the thieves, arrest, anybody who breaks the law in a way that deserves to be arrested. Why are we so soft? That’s what creates lazy people. Oregon is an embarrassment. In this new governor is not any better than the last!
Too many contradictory “rights” to solve this problem. Society grants a mentally incompetent person the “right” to refuse help and to “live” on a sidewalk. Taxpaying citizens demand the “right” to live without fear from bums and desperate drug addicts. Can’t have it both ways. The United States is the greatest nation on Earth and has the resources to solve each individual homeless person’s troubles. Provide the adequate safety nets and shelter. But there must be tough love by government leaders. The individual must accept the common sense rules of living in a community or they must exit. Escort them to the city/county limits and wish them well. Life is too short and precious to allow a fellow human to choose to die from drugs, cold weather and starvation. If they choose to refuse help they can exercise their “right” to do it somewhere else.
Welcome to exclusion. The only part of the state that really matters in the Portland metro and I-5 corridor.