Utilities and Housing

1) If your family is unhoused, call 211 and ask about shelter and housing program openings. Also ask to be put on their FAMILY MOBILE HOUSING TEAM WAITLIST. Most of the area shelters and housing agencies are now using this waitlist when they have an opening. Be sure to tell them what your situation is (on street, in car, motel, doubled up. etc.) and about any family members with specific needs such as disabilities, illness, pregnancy, etc. Call back weekly to check on your status. 

*If you are interested in a referral to Bybee Lakes Hope Center Shelter, contact Rhys.

2) Ensure you register your student with the PPS McKinney-Vento program. You can do that yourself, call Beach Elementary, or contact Rhys to do this. McKinney-Vento is a federally funded school program that provides various supports to students experiencing housing insecurity, from clothing and shoes to tutoring connections. 

For detailed lists of family shelters and various low-income housing companies, please click here to visit the PPS McKinney-Vento program's resource site. At the bottom are several documents that have lists and other information.

For up-to-date specific information on utility assistance programs, connect either online or by phone to 211 Utility Assistance Programs (Call 211 from a cell phone or 503-222-5555 from a landline.) This site lists all of the organizations in the metro area that assist folks with utility assistance, whether they are accepting new clients, and how to contact them.

Additionally, due to new laws in Oregon, utility providers have several options for low-income families to lower their monthly bills.
For Pacific Power options and resources, click here.

For PGE Income-Qualified Bill Discounts, click here.

For Portland Water Bureau Bill Assistance, click here. 

Some community organizations have county/state/federal funding for utility assistance. This support is limited and often required families to call appointment lines daily to check for availability. This resource is not limited to families with the specific racial/ethnic/religious identity that the organization is geared to serve. Community organizations that sometimes have funding available for utility support:

El Programa Hispano Católico - 503-489-6842

IRCO

Latino Network - 503-208-2174

NAYA - 503-946-9898

SEI - 503-713-5590

The Oregon Lifeline program offers low cost phone and internet broadband services. For more information, click here or call 503-373-7171.

The federal government's Affordable Connectivity Program ended June 1st, 2024, and is no longer available to provide discounts on services.

If you have questions or need any help navigating these options, please contact Rhys. 

Oregon has created a state-wide system allowing local organizations to assist with mortgage payments and prevent foreclosure. A lot of information can be found here. 

In Multnomah County, we have:

African American Alliance for Homeownership

Serving African American and Black families. Call (503) 595-3517

Hacienda Community Development Corporation

Serving Latine and Hispanic families. Call (503) 961-6432

Native American Youth & Family Center

Serving Indigenous families. Call (503) 288-8177 x223 for assistance or information.

Portland Housing Center

Serving Oregon and Washington families, with all services available in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, and Clark counties. Primarily offers loans, but does have other services. Call (503) 282-7744 for assistance or more information.

The Community Alliance of Tenants has information about laws, policies, and rights for folks who are renting their housing in the Portland Metro Area. They are an advocacy group who can support folks experiencing landlord mistreatment.  Their site also lists tons of resources that may be helpful.

Resolutions Northwest  supports tenants in mediating conflicts with landlords, and can provide resources to tenants. Their mission is to help families stay housed and prevent evictions.