HomeOregon NewsGovernor Kotek commits to long-term solutions with extended homelessness response order

Governor Kotek commits to long-term solutions with extended homelessness response order

Salem, Oregon – Governor Tina Kotek has extended Emergency Order 24-02 in an aggressive attempt to address Oregon’s growing homelessness crisis, therefore reaffirming her government’s dedication to house unsheltered citizens throughout the state. Under the new name EO 25-01, this extension requires state agencies to keep on their mission of substantially reducing homelessness through ongoing construction and support of a strong statewide homelessness response system.

Oregon has witnessed real improvement in tackling homelessness since the first proclamation two years ago; major successes include the building of new shelters and the rehousing of thousands.

“We must stay the course on what we see working. If we keep at this pace, 1 in every 3 people who were experiencing homelessness in 2023 will be rehoused,” Governor Kotek said in a release.

“Since declaring the homelessness emergency response two years ago, we exceeded the targets we set through a statewide homelessness infrastructure we never had before. But the urgency remains as homelessness continues to increase and we need to see this strategy through.”

The extension guarantees sustained results and lets the vital services and infrastructure required to address the fundamental causes of homelessness run uninterrupted. Ending in June 2025, the current biennium will concentrate on maintaining these initiatives and assessing their long-term effects.

“Governor Kotek came in with clear eyed recognition that the state needed to act quickly and boldly.” “This work is and has always been about people and making their life better. This starts with supporting and empowering local leaders to do what they do best—deliver for community,” OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell said.

“So much depends on what we, the generations now in positions of responsibility, choose to do in this moment. Building a future that includes and works for everyone is possible when we recognize the scale of our challenges and bring an even greater scale of ambition in confronting them.”

Governor Kotek’s tenure has been marked by consistent and urgent actions against homelessness. She proclaimed a statewide homelessness emergency on her first day in office and has subsequently led many legislative and financial projects to help to solve the situation. Notable among these was the signing of the $155 million Homelessness Emergency Response Package soon after assuming office, which quickly distributed money to required programs throughout the state.

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Under SB 1530, more laws passed in 2024 gave shelters more funds to stabilize and grow as well as to stop evictions, therefore highlighting the continuous dedication to these important concerns. In addition, the Governor teamed with Representative Pam Marsh to create the Sustainable Shelter Work Group, tasked with guaranteeing the lifetime of shelter initiatives.

These programs have shown really encouraging results. The state has exceeded its targets established under the first emergency response as of early January 2025, constructing over 600 new low barrier shelter beds, rehousing 1,200 households, and preventing about 8,500 events of homelessness in specified disaster locations.

Looking ahead, Governor Kotek’s budget proposal for the 2025–2027 biennium aims to keep up and increase these initiatives. The plan calls for sufficient funding to keep service levels high and advance the state’s infrastructure for homelessness response.

Oregon wants to confirm its approach for handling homelessness with the extension of EO 25-01, which will remain in place until January 10, 2026, thereby aligning with Governor Kotek’s ambition of rehousing a sizable fraction of the unsheltered population by the end of the next biennium.

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This all-encompassing strategy not only meets current requirements but also provides the foundation for long-lasting answers to one of the most urgent socioeconomic concerns facing the state.

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