Goals of the Central Oregon
10 Year Plan to End Homelessness

Every quarter, beginning March 31, 2012, a report will be added to this page, identifying progress on each of the six goals.   

Click here to download a complete copy of the
“Central Oregon 10 Year Plan to End Homeless".

Goal 1 - homelessness prevention

Prevent and divert people from becoming homeless by working with them directly to obtain and/or keep their housing.  The primary strategy is to provide additional resources (or reduce expenses) so people can continue to pay for their housing (this applies to both rental and mortgage).  Current efforts need to be continued and/or expanded and new programs developed.

• Provide rental/utility assistance to low income households – ONGOING
• Provide foreclosure prevention assistance – ONGOING
• Assist low income families to remove barriers to housing – ONGOING
• Provide landlord-tenant mediation and assistance – ONGOING
• Develop classes on budgeting/managing household finances that are offered to youth – NEW
• Develop a centralized emergency assistance center (“one stop”) in every community – NEW

Goal 2 - Increase the supply of affordable housing

Expand, develop, and coordinate the supply of affordable housing/supportive services to prevent and end homelessness and shorten stays in emergency shelter.  This goal is all about adding “physical capacity” to the system.  It focuses on building additional housing units and/or making existing units accessible to the formerly homeless.  This goals will require the greatest amount of direct financial support which will come from federal, state and local government as well as the development of new sources of funding.

• Add additional transitional housing units and shelter beds in all communities – ONGOING
• Promote and support cooperative housing models – ONGOING
• Develop creative, inexpensive and more flexible housing units – NEW
• Build permanent supporting housing (PSH) units using the “Housing First” model – NEW

Goal 3 - Appropriate support services

Build the capacity of homeless persons for self-support through strategies that identify their risk of homelessness, document their specific needs, and help them access housing with appropriate supportive services.  This includes not only developing new services/resources, but also making sure that everybody knows about them.

• Provide substance abuse treatment services – ONGOING
• Provide transportation services to shelter – ONGOING
• Provide/expand transportation to employment and services – ONGOING
• Ensure access to job training and employment – ONGOING
• Develop Homeless Courts that can resolve issues in a single day event – NEW
• Develop new strategies that enhance “social capital” and “human capital” – NEW
• Develop a service bank of professional services for the homeless – NEW
• Securing identification (ID) and mail services for the homeless – NEW
• Develop Social Security Benefit Advocate position – NEW

Goal 4 - System improvements

This goal is all about improved communication and coordination among agencies and organizations at the funding and service delivery level.  A related strategy is to improve discharge procedures so people are not discharged from jail, hospitals or the foster care system directly into homelessness.

• Implement model ordinances and policies to ensure that homeless shelters and transitional housing can be located in all Central Oregon communities – NEW
• Ensure appropriate discharge from the foster care system – NEW
• Improve discharge from the corrections system – NEW
• Improve discharge from the ER – NEW
• Develop a coordinated intake system that can by all service providers – NEW
• Create a youth “drop in” center based on a Maslow Youth Center model – NEW

Goal 5 - Education and Outreach

Implement education and public awareness campaigns to remove societal stigma about homelessness and to build community support and coordinated responses.

• Expand and support the regional and local Project Connect model – ONGOIONG
• Coordinate the community education/resource information system – ONGOING
• Develop information materials and training on community resources for law enforcement and other stakeholders – NEW
• Establish ongoing advocacy in all communities while ensuring increased collaboration and accountability – NEW
• Establish a “Leadership Committee” of business and community leaders on this issue – NEW
• Develop a report card or similar mechanism to show progress – NEW

Goal 6 - Better data

Improve data collection technology and methodology to better track homeless program outcomes

• Expand One Night Homeless Count to get better regional and community-specific information – ONGOING
• Fill the gaps in the local continuum of care – ONGOING
• Continue the McKinney-Vento regional effort with local schools – ONGOING
• Track first responder and emergency room care statistics – NEW