Merkley, Wyden, Blumenauer, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas Announce Over $60 Million to Combat Homelessness Across Oregon
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (D-04), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06), today announced a total of $60,295,011 in federal investments to support 140 homelessness prevention and support initiatives in communities across the state. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Continuum of Care program.
“Safe and affordable housing is a critical component to cultivating strong and vibrant communities. But under the crushing weight of our affordable housing crisis, Oregonians across the state are struggling,” said Merkley. “These new and continuing awards are vital for communities and individuals in need of critical housing resources and support. I won’t stop working to ensure Oregonians in every corner of the state have access to safe, dependable, and affordable housing.”
“Ensuring Oregonians have access to home ownership takes a multipronged approach through federal, state and local policies,” Wyden said. “In my 1,000+ Town Halls, I’ve heard from urban and rural communities alike that access to housing and workforce challenges are barriers to growth and vitality. Once folks secure stable and affordable housing, they are able to focus on other issues like finding steady employment. This HUD investment will turn deserving Oregonians’ dreams of home ownership into reality while enhancing livability in communities throughout the state.”
“So many of the problems we face stem from a lack of affordable housing. If we’re going to tackle the addiction crisis, mental health, economic mobility, we must address housing,” said Rep. Blumenauer. “Today’s multi-million-dollar federal investment, coupled with Governor Kotek’s unrelenting focus on building more affordable homes, puts Oregon on the right track. This is the type of federal partnership that can make a real difference, just when we need it!”
“Oregon has an affordable housing crisis, and addressing it requires a multifaceted response and significant federal investment,” said Rep. Bonamici. “I’m grateful for the more than $60 million from HUD that will support a wide range of homelessness prevention and support efforts in NW Oregon and across the state. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Homelessness, I’m committed to advocating for resources and policies that will end homelessness so everyone has a safe place to call home.”
“Every day, we see too many people without shelter, who are cold and hungry and have no hope. At the same time, communities across Oregon don’t have the resources they need today to adequately fund services that help address homelessness. This $60 million in federal funds offers an important lifeline,” said Rep. Hoyle. “I am committed to doing all I can to bring back federal funds that invest in solutions and initiatives which help address this crisis and give people the chance to have a safe and secure home.”
“There are so many advocates who are on the ground doing important work to solve the homelessness crisis in Oregon. Unfortunately, our local governments and nonprofit organizations are also severely under-resourced and underfunded,” said Rep. Salinas. “That’s why I’m excited to announce over $60 million in federal funding to support homelessness prevention efforts in our state—including several projects in the Sixth District. These dollars will go toward a continuum of care approach to ending homelessness, providing families with the support and services they need to find safe, permanent housing and ultimately, long-term stability.”
Today’s funding announcement supports 140 initiatives across the state among four different categories of awards: new funding, renewal funding, Youth Homeless Demonstration program (YHDP) renewals, and planning initiatives. A breakdown and classification of these funds can be found below:
- $2,351,449 for 10 new initiatives in Clackamas, Lane, Marion, and Multnomah counties.
- $50,918,438 for 111 renewal initiatives throughout the state.
- $4,387,821 for 11 YHDP renewal initiatives: The goal of the YHDP is to support coordinated development and implementation of initiatives to prevent and end youth homelessness. This program is intended to serve young people experiencing homelessness aged 24 and under, including unaccompanied youth and pregnant or parenting youth who are experiencing homelessness.
- $2,636,303 for eight planning initiatives in Clackamas, Deschutes, Lane, Marion, Multnomah, and Washington counties.
For a full list of recipients and award allocations in Oregon, click here.
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