Multnomah County will spend $14 million to move homeless people into apartments

(FEBRUARY 10, 2023) Multnomah County is a local government. It includes cities of Portland and Gresham. Multnomah County wants to address the problem of homelessness. Last week it shared a plan to move hundreds of people directly from tents to apartments.

The program is called Housing Multnomah Now. It will cost $14 million. It will last 12 months. Many state and local government offices will work together. It will start in Portland. Then it will move to Gresham. The program will find housing for 300 people.

Jessica Vega Pederson is one of the county's leaders. She said, “The goal of this model is to connect people directly to housing and stop the shuffle of moving people from one location to another as they’re living outside.”

To find these homes, the program will offer landlords money and services. This includes a guarantee of a year's rent. The program will also help landlords if there are problems.

“The only real long-term solution to homelessness is getting someone into a home,” said Pederson. “We need landlords to respond urgently to provide those living on our streets with a safe place to stay.”