Portland City Council Joint City/County Work Session-Homelessness to Housing Continuum 04/28/26

This joint work session between the Portland City Council and Multnomah County, held on April 28, 2026, focused on homelessness and the housing continuum. The meeting featured detailed presentations on homelessness data, budget proposals, and system performance indicators. Key procurement-related discussions included budget allocations for homeless services, shelter operations, eviction prevention, and housing placement programs. The county presented a $3.9 billion overall budget with specific reductions in homeless services funding, while the city proposed reallocating approximately $31 million previously sent to the county toward its own shelter and outreach programs, resulting in a 31% reduction in city shelter services. The session also addressed the costs and contracts related to shelter operations, including a $2.1 million annual lease for a 200-bed overnight shelter. Participants discussed the impact of budget cuts on shelter capacity, the need for balanced investments in prevention and housing placement, and coordination challenges between city and county roles. Several motions and proposals were considered to optimize resource allocation, improve eviction prevention efforts, and enhance housing stability. The meeting concluded with commitments to ongoing collaboration and further budget work sessions to refine funding strategies and procurement decisions.