Oregon Has the Highest Number Per Capita of Unsheltered Homelessness in the Country
Oregon is the top-ranked state in the U.S. per capita for unsheltered homelessness among families with children, with three in 10 people classified as ‘chronically homeless’ since 2023.
There are 14 Times More Children Without a Roof Over Their Heads
Children living in Oregon without shelter is 14 times higher than the national average – three times higher than Hawaii, the state placed second on the list of families with children experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
A report by the Oregon Housing and Community Services agency paints a grim picture of the current housing market in which property prices for purchasing or rentals outstrip wage earning levels. One-third of the state’s homeowners, and more than 50% of those renting properties, pay more than 30% of their income on housing.
Oregon Had the Highest Number of Evictions Last Year
In 2023, Oregon recorded the highest number of property evictions since 2011 and more than 20,000 people are now homeless. Current housing demands for people classified as low, and very low-income earners, are 128,000 units.
With the housing market at its highest levels since the pandemic, people employed in several of the fastest-growing occupations in Oregon do not earn enough to pay for a one-bedroom apartment, says the report.
“In Oregon, the median home price rose by $7.10 for each additional dollar of income earned
The state must add half a million housing units in the next 20 years to cope with increasing population demands. Figures show a 21% increase since 2004, equating to 753,000 people.
However, despite the cost of housing, the report says for white households, buying a home is more affordable than it was in 2018 for Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC). The BIPOC property ownership is 17% lower than white Oregonians.
Governor Describes Situation as a Stark Reality
Governor Tina Kotek says the report portrays a ‘stark reality.’
In a statement via her spokeswoman, Roxy Mayer, the governor blames ‘decades of underbuilding’ for the current housing crisis. She says the lack of affordability is exacerbating the homeless situation.
Kotek made it clear when she took office in 2023 that her goal was to improve the housing shortage and homelessness crisis that she described as a ‘humanitarian and man-made disaster.’ Kotek pledged to increase the number of housing units from 22,000 to 36,000 a year, and to facilitate the process eased permit regulations.
When Kotek unpacks her recommended budget next month, lawmakers will be given a clear indication of her priorities. Housing will feature prominently when lawmakers meet early next year for the 2025 six-month legislative session.