456 Multnomah County Deaths Recorded Among Homeless People In 2023
Multnomah County’s annual Domicile Unknown report, released on Friday, indicated that 456 homeless people died in the county in 2023, 141 more than the number of homeless people who died in 2022, representing a 45% increase.
2023 Deaths Of Homeless People In Multnomah County
The 456 people experiencing homelessness who died in Multnomah County in 2023 reflect an increase of 409 more people than those who died in 2011, the first year records were kept.
The report indicates that overdoses were the leading cause of death in the homeless community. Overall, the causes of death, according to the Multnomah County Health Department officials, were:
- Overdoses: 282 deaths (62%) were caused by overdoses, mainly of fentanyl, meth, or a combination of the two. No fentanyl-related deaths were recorded in Multnomah County when the records started in Oregon in 2011.
- Suicide: 26 people experiencing homelessness died by suicide.
- Traffic Deaths: 22 people died in traffic accidents- a significantly higher rate than traffic-related deaths in the general population
- Cancer or heart disease: 18
- Homicide: 14
- Weather: One person died due to cold weather, but no deaths were attributed to extreme heat.
Of those who died, the groups with the highest representation in the homeless population also recorded a disproportionate number of those who died. 53 Black people and 32 American Indian/Alaska Native people experiencing homelessness died in 2023.
The Multnomah County Health Department data dashboard indicates that overdose deaths in 2024 are likely to decline. A day of remembrance will be held at the Ground Score Association on 624 NW Couch on December 21 from 4:30 to 7 pm to honor unhomed people who died in 2023.
Multnomah County Health Department officials Richard Bruno, a health officer, and Emily Mosites, the epidemiology manager, highlighted in the report introduction that shelter and housing options, as well as better availability of mental health and addiction treatment, could alleviate the tragic and preventable deaths but said, “Right now, neither is sufficient to meet the need.”