News Release from Oregon Housing and Community Services; SALEM, OR –With the rough winter weather upon us, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) would like to provide a reminder of the emergency resources available for Oregonians experiencing or at risk of homelessness. In an effort to provide critical support to these Oregonians, the 2017 Oregon Legislature provided $40 million in funding to support the Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA) program and the State Homeless Assistance Program (SHAP). These resources are implemented by Community Action Agency partners across the state to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing and other resources to immediately get people off the street and help them eventually find long-term, stable housing. This investment is a four-fold increase from previous biennia and is in direct response to the current housing and homeless crisis we are experiencing in Oregon. If you, a friend or family member are in need of a warm place to stay, food or other resources during these tough winter months; please visit www.211info.org/warmingcenters/ or call 2-1-1 to find out what is available in your area. Oregon’s Community Action Agency network includes more than 1,100 local, private, non-profit, and public agencies that work to alleviate and eliminate poverty. To contact your local Community Action Agency, visit http://caporegon.org/find-services/ Information on Oregon’s homeless can be found in the 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, available online at https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2017-AHAR-Part-1.pdf In addition, OHCS provides an interactive information dashboard that allows users to view Oregon’s Point-in-Time homeless data by county for 2015 and 2017. This tool is available online at https://public.tableau.com/views/InformationDashboardPITCount_1/Point-in-TimeCount?:embed=y&:display_count=yes
