Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek of Oregon has extended the state’s emergency on unsheltered homelessness, linking the crisis to ongoing behavioral health challenges and emphasizing the need for coordinated housing and healthcare strategies.
The state of emergency was declared Jan. 10, 2023, in regions that experienced a 50% or greater increase in unsheltered homelessness from 2017 to 2022, according to a Jan. 9 news release from the governor’s office. It has been extended through several executive orders and will now remain in effect through Jan. 10, 2027, unless modified or terminated earlier.
From January 2023 through September 2025, Oregon’s emergency efforts created and maintained 6,286 shelter beds, rehoused 5,539 people, and provided prevention assistance to 25,942 households.
The latest order sets new targets, including rehousing an additional 1,400 households and investing $20 million from 2025 to 2027 in permanent supportive housing and expanded behavioral health capacity, according to the release. The action also releases $19 million from previously allocated funds to expand services for justice-involved individuals unable to aid their own defense, bringing 36 transitional housing beds to Clackamas County and 72 additional beds in treatment facilities.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management will continue coordinating the state’s emergency response. Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Oregon Health Authority will lead efforts on long-term solutions, the release said.
