Greetings colleagues, partners and community members,
Welcome to the Joint Office of Homeless Services monthly newsletter!
The purpose of this newsletter is to help you learn more about our collective work and shared commitment to addressing homelessness in Portland and Multnomah County.
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If you are experiencing homelessness and need assistance, please call 211
or go to 211info.org.
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Question of the month:
How many more shelters are there in Portland now than in 2015?
(scroll to the bottom of the newsletter to see the answer)
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“Out of the Streets of Portland” will highlight the stories of our current and formerly houseless neighbors while also explaining the Joint Office-funded systems and services in our community that help thousands of people a year leave the streets for shelter beds or homes of their own.
 This inaugural episode spends time with Doll Crain, the intern coordinator at Cultivate Initiatives. Doll oversees work at Cultivate that’s funded through the Joint Office and the Supportive Housing Services Measure. She shares her story of how she became homeless after growing up in Portland, what it was like living on the streets, and how she was able to find work and stable housing through Joint Office services.
We also spend time this episode with Salinda Mingo, a housing navigator with the Urban League of Portland, who talks about her daily work helping people leave tents for apartments. Mingo says that work — funded and supported by the Joint Office — doesn’t stop at moving day. Months after her clients are in housing, she visits them to make sure they have what they need to stay in their new homes.
That conversation is part of a tutorial on something called “Coordinated Access,” which refers to Multnomah County’s system for reaching and entering people onto a by-name list specifically for supportive housing. We interview Katie Dineen from the Joint Office to learn more about coordinated access — how it works, how to get on the list, and which organizations are involved.
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 With the cold weather upon us, the Joint Office has been working with providers to distribute supplies, open up emergency overflow shelter beds, and activate severe weather shelters when thresholds are met. If you are interested in getting involved, our provider partner Transitions Projects offers trainings for severe weather shelter volunteers. And many of our providers have posted 'wish lists' of items they are hoping people will donate, so they can distribute them to people in need. New or gently used coats, hats, gloves, sleeping bags and blankets are among the most needed items.
You can find the most up-to-date list of what and where to donate at 211info.org
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 Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties are working together to plan and conduct the upcoming Tri-County regional Point-In-Time (PIT) Count. As part of our planning, we are identifying people who are available to conduct surveys and count people experiencing homelessness between Wednesday, January 25 and Tuesday, January 31, 2023 in the Portland Tri-County area. If you are interested in participating, please complete the Volunteer Registration Survey. This survey will help us to determine coverage gaps early on, and to make preliminary geographical and site assignments. Future emails and forms will finalize shifts, locations, and training times and dates.
For more information on the upcoming PIT Count, and a link to past years’ reports, see this page on the Joint Office of Homeless Services website.
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Notice of Funding Availability
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 We currently have TWO funding opportunities open for qualified providers in Multnomah County: one for Housing Placement and Retention, and one for Domestic and Sexual Violence (DSV) InReach Services - applications for both are due Tuesday, December 20th, 2022 by 5:00 pm
Read the NOFAS and Apply
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New Affordable Housing Opening!
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 The Starlight is open! Located in Portland's historic Old Town District, this much-needed affordable housing apartment complex offers 100 new units, 70 of which are permanent supportive housing for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness - funded by Metro's Supportive Housing Services measure, through the Joint Office of Homeless Services. The remaining units are set aside for community members with limited incomes. Central City Concern is partnering with the Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA) and CCC’s Imani CenterKaribu and Flip the Script to offer culturally specific programming for Native and African American individuals.
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New motel shelter to open in Gresham
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On Thursday, Nov. 10th, the Joint Office took another step in its ongoing shelter expansion, receiving approval from the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners to lease a 44-room motel with an option to purchase it.
The motel shelter, a Super 8 in Gresham, is expected to open this winter. The new 24-hour, fully staffed shelter will serve a specialized function in the overall shelter system, providing “bridge shelter” beds for people who are signed up for permanent supportive housing who are waiting to move into their new homes. A bridge shelter program, a nationally recognized best practice, is a first for the Joint Office and Multnomah County.
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Menlo Park Safe Rest Village Opens!
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 The Safe Rest Village team and Cultivate Initiatives are excited to announce the opening of Menlo Park Safe Rest Village (SRV). The village is now open and welcoming program participants to the first Safe Rest Village, located in East Portland near 122nd and Burnside.
At the Menlo Park SRV, Cultivate Initiatives is working to meet the needs of our neighbors: there are warm showers and meals, and there are support staff available at all hours. Peer advocates, case workers, mental health specialists, and nursing students are all coming together to provide support for villagers.
This is the second of six planned Safe Rest Villages to officially open. These villages are a collaboration between the City of Portland, the Joint Office of Homeless Services and contracted service providers.
More info on the Safe Rest Village initiative, which is one type of alternative shelter administered by the joint Office of Homeless Services.
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News reports about the work of the Joint Office of Homeless Services:
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Resources for People Experiencing Homelessness:
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Racial Justice/Equity Resources
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Employment Opportunities
Current openings in the Joint Office of Homeless Services:
Department Director - Open Until Filled
Administrative Analyst Senior l Office Operations - Applications due Dec. 23rd
Outreach Supply Center Coordinator - Open Until Filled
Finance Manager - Applications due Dec. 12th
JOHS Partner Organization job listings:
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