The Oregon Harbor of Hope is a non-profit program aspiring to develop a multi-purpose service hub that helps unsheltered people and the chronically homeless return to healthy, productive lives in permanent housing.
From 2014-2015, Oregon was one of three states in the US with a significant increases in chronic homelessness–an explosion of over 59%.
Why is this so high?
-Lack of affordable housing and laws regulating rent control or affordable housing development
-Extremely high population growth and increased housing costs
-Homeless shelters and sidewalk laws are a stopgap, not a solution
Portland has a great network of churches, community organizations and shelters that do their best to support the homeless but it’s not enough.
What’s missing is long-term, transformational care with an integrated system of services for mental health, drug and alcohol addiction, domestic abuse, job training, healthcare and family services.