Oregon’s Homeless Crisis: Why Current Strategies are Failing - Part 4
Today, we finish our four-part series, “Oregon’s Homeless Crisis: Why Current Strategies Are Failing.” This series has taken a deep dive into why current approaches are failing short and highlights potential solutions to address this pressing issue. Here’s a quick recap of the topics we’ve covered so far:
In Part 1, we explored two critical questions:
“After all this spending, how does Oregon compare to other states?”
“Are we making measurable progress in reducing homelessness?”
Sadly, the answers revealed significant shortcomings. (Read the full post here.)
In Part 2, we examined the Housing First philosophy, its widespread influence, and the reasons for its failure to effectively address the homeless crisis. (Read the full post here.)
In Part 3, we examined how the abundance of Compassionate Care Organizations, though well-meaning, often exacerbates the crisis. Meanwhile, Holistic Recovery Organizations offer hope by addressing root causes and helping individuals achieve lasting stability and housing. (Read the full post here.)
Today, in Part 4, we turn our attention to the critical issue of accountability in how funds for the homeless crisis are being spent—and, more importantly, how we can address this problem. By evaluating Holistic Recovery Organizations through five key questions, we can identify which ones are truly deserving of financial support.
Reason #3 – A total lack of accountability on how money is spent
A simple fact of life: You can’t improve what you don’t measure. In life, without measuring outcomes, it is virtually impossible to know whether you are making progress or falling further behind.
Compassion must be matched with accountability, for without it, well-intentioned efforts risk becoming hollow gestures and do little but perpetuate the problem. To effect real change, we must measure outcomes rigorously, ensuring that every dollar spent fosters tangible, lasting progress.
Lack of Data in Government Spending
The same is true when our elected officials invest tax dollars to alleviate the homeless crisis. Sadly, they currently lack the most basic of data to monitor how effectively our money is being spent. Imagine trying to navigate a ship without a compass—this is the current state of government spending on homelessness.
Multnomah County Commissioner Sharon Meieran captured this sentiment in an editorial by Steve Duin in The Oregonian:
“Doug Marshall is spot on. This is exactly the work the County would be doing if we actually cared about being effective, had a plan, and were interested in measuring results to show progress.”16
Accountability Needed in Nonprofit Organizations
Bruce Wydick, the author of The Shrewd Samaritan17 has written a book that many consider to be the quintessential book on how to alleviate worldwide poverty. He made this inciteful comment on accountability:
“…my word to donors is to withhold donations to any nonprofit unable to offer credible, third-party evidence that it is helping the people it claims to help…”
This is the standard Hope for the Homeless Foundation (HHF) upholds. By rigorously vetting nonprofits, HHF ensures that only the most effective organizations—those delivering measurable results—receive support.
The HHF Vetting Process: Elevating Standards
Holistic Recovery Organizations are invited to complete a grant application form from Hope for the Homeless Foundation. The vetting process includes a thorough review of their website, their financial records and current budget, a detailed interview with their executive director and an onsite visit to their facilities. But ultimately the vetting process boils down to answering five vetting questions.
The Five Vetting Questions
Do you focus on the homeless or the housing insecure? Our definition of homeless is much narrower than what is used by Housing First advocates. Do the people you help live on the street, in their car or in an emergency shelter? Those who are couch surfing with friends or relatives or are housing insecure do not meet our definition of homeless.
Do you know the number of homeless people you attempted to stabilize and house last year? You would be surprised how few organizations have ever been asked this question and how few know the answer.
What was your success rate? In other words, of those you attempted to help, do you know how many you succeeded in helping in stabilizing and housing.
What is your success rate after one year? It is one thing for a person to successfully complete a personal management plan to mitigate their homelessness; it is another thing for them to be successfully housed one year later. If they succeed in staying housed after one year it is likely that they will continue to stay housed two, five and ten years later.
What is the average cost of getting one person stabilized and housed? The question we want answered is whether their process of stabilizing and housing a homeless person is cost effective?
At HHF, we do more than evaluate; we empower donors to make informed decisions, fostering a culture of transparency and excellence among nonprofits. Our five vetting questions ensure that organizations not only address homelessness but also achieve sustainable outcomes.
Shown below is an example of a vetting summary for Do Good Multnomah:
In 2020, the year they were vetted, Do Good Multnomah had an annual budget of $2.9 million. Their target population is chronically homeless veterans. They were successful in stabilizing and housing 98 individuals from the 208 they attempted to help resulting in a success rate of 47 percent. One year later, 92 percent of these individuals were still stabilized and housed. It costs Do Good Multnomah just under $30,000 to stabilize and house one individual.
In the five years Hope for the Homeless Foundation has been vetting nonprofits, we have vetted forty-six organizations, and of these, we have approved twenty based on their ability to answer the five vetting questions. Below, in alphabetical order, are the twenty organizations in the Portland area approved by HHF.
For most of us, the table above has way too many numbers to process, so let’s focus on just two. At the bottom are two numbers, each highlighted in a double-lined box. In the year that these twenty organizations were vetted, they successfully stabilized and housed 2,432 formerly homeless people at an average cost of $11,466. Think about that for a moment. In other words, 2,400 fewer people were living on our streets at a very modest cost of less than $12,000 per person. That is no small feat!
When formerly homeless people graduate from a Holistic Recovery Organization’s program where do they find housing? The government provides rental assistance in two forms: 1) Project-based subsidy programs incentivize units to be built at a below-market basis; and 2) Tenant-based subsidy programs defray the cost of a unit rented on the open market.18
Project-based subsidies are affordable housing; tenant-based subsidies are Section 8 vouchers.
The Advantages of Vouchers vs Affordable Housing
There are several advantages to the voucher approach:
Vouchers require no large upfront costs
Don’t result in site selection headaches (NIMBY)
Don’t have the stigma of public housing
Are considered better at social integration of low-income tenants into the general public because they are housed in apartment buildings with those who can afford market rents.
When Holistic Recovery Organizations seek permanent housing for an individual who has successfully graduated from their program, they almost always do so with Section 8 vouchers. Affordable housing is rarely used. Why? Vouchers are ubiquitous; affordable housing is not.
Summary: Track Measurable Outcomes
Accountability isn’t a barrier—it’s a bridge to progress. Hope for the Homeless Foundation has proven that with rigorous vetting and clear metrics, we can identify and support organizations making real, measurable impacts. The result? Thousands of lives changed at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.
Conclusion: Building a Future of Accountability and Solutions
Oregon stands at a crossroads. Will we continue to pour resources into unsustainable models, or will we embrace accountability and innovation? The path forward is clear. By championing Holistic Recovery Organizations and demanding measurable outcomes, we can shift from a cycle of crisis management to a culture of empowerment and hope.
Let’s make Oregon a leader in compassionate, effective solutions. Together, we can turn generosity into action, action into impact, and impact into a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Call to Action
The time to act is now. This approach to solving the homeless crisis can be implemented quickly. Oregon’s homeless crisis demands bold, collective action. We can no longer afford half-measures or misplaced priorities. Together, we must forge a future where compassion meets accountability, and hope transforms into measurable change.
Policymakers: Your decisions shape the future. Shift funding away from costly, no-strings-attached affordable housing programs and invest in Holistic Recovery Organizations that tackle the root causes of homelessness and deliver proven, measurable outcomes.
Nonprofits: Step into the light of accountability. Embrace transparent, data-driven practices that highlight your impact—track stabilization rates, long-term housing success, and cost-effectiveness. Only by demonstrating measurable success can we collectively earn the trust of those we serve.
Citizens: Your voice and your actions are powerful. Support Holistic Recovery Organizations with a track record of success. Advocate for policies that prioritize sustainable solutions and ensure your donations fuel organizations that truly make a difference.
Together, we can rewrite Oregon’s story from one of despair to one of hope and resilience. Every dollar spent, every policy enacted, and every action taken must work toward a future where no one is left behind. Let us unite as a community to create lasting solutions, turning today’s crisis into a beacon of recovery and progress. Hope is not just a dream—it is a responsibility we share.
Footnotes:
16 “Accountability and Oregon’s Homeless Crisis” by Steve Duin, The Oregonian editorial, April 27, 2024.
17 Shrewd Samaritan, by Bruce Wydick, page 28
18 Homelessness in America: The History and Tragedy of An Intractable Social Problem by Stephen Eide, pp. 137-140.
