Today, Oregon Housing & Community Services awarded a total of $3.86 million in housing funds to local agencies participating in the Clatsop County Multi-agency Coordination group.
“With this grant award, local Clatsop County agencies will be better positioned to address the needs of our unhoused community. Although this is less than the $7.8 million we requested, these funds are a good start. We appreciate the Governor’s support and we will continue our discussions with state officials to secure additional housing funds,” said Mark Kujala, Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Chair.
One out of 40 individuals in Clatsop County are unhoused and Clatsop County has the highest rate of homelessness per 1000 residents in Oregon, according to 2021 state data. The city of Warrenton has the highest number of homeless youth in rural Oregon.
The funding award breakdown is:
| Organization | Services | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Clatsop Community Action | Columbia Inn services | $1,250,000 |
| Filling Empty Bellies | LiFEBoat Services |
Shelter beds | $1,250,000 |
| MAC Group | To be determined | $1,336,732.32 |
| TOTAL FUNDING | $3,836,732.32 |
The MAC group will meet to determine how the remaining nearly $1.37 million will be allocated. MAC group members are:
- Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare (CBH)
- Clatsop Community Action (CCA)
- Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH)
- Clatsop County ROA
- Filling Empty Bellies | LiFEBoat Services
- Helping Hands
- Northwest Housing Authority
- Providence Seaside Hospital
- The Harbor
- City of Astoria
- City of Cannon Beach
- City of Seaside
- City of Warrenton
- Clatsop County
The funding comes from House Bill 5019, which was approved by the Oregon State Legislature and signed by Governor Kotek in response to her homelessness state of emergency. The bill included $26.1 million to rehouse people experiencing homelessness and expand shelter capacity in the 26 rural counties that make up the Balance of State Continuum of Care.