Salem, OR—Today, Governor Tina Kotek and Oregon Housing and Community Services announced that funding contracts for the Homelessness State of Emergency have been signed and funding will start being distributed to the regional multi-agency coordination groups (MAC).

On her first full day in office, the Governor declared a homelessness state of emergency and urged the legislature to pass an early investment package to meet specific goals in reducing unsheltered homelessness by January 10, 2024.

On February 24, the Governor launched emergency response infrastructure, made up of seven regional MAC groups across the state tasked with effectively distributing emergency funds.

The legislature passed the Affordable Housing and Emergency Homelessness Response Package on March 21. On April 10, the Governor announced the emergency funding allocation across the seven MACs tied to specific outcomes.

“The housing crisis demands urgent action on an unprecedented timeline. I am grateful to the providers, local and county leaders who quickly assembled to form the MACs, the legislature for passing the package early with bipartisan support and broad stakeholder input, and to communities across Oregon embracing this call to action,” Governor Kotek said. “I look forward to the work ahead to help ensure these investments yield visible, measurable results across our state by the end of the year.”

Six of the seven regional MACs have finalized contracts to receive emergency funding to execute the Governor’s emergency order, which specifies the dollars will be used to prevent nearly 9,000 people from becoming homeless, rehouse more than 1,200 households, and create over 600 new shelter beds in emergency areas by end of the year. Due to a local policy that requires the Clackamas County commission to approve the contract before it is signed, Clackamas County’s contract is expected to be executed next week.