ORS 458.528: Policy on homelessness.

(1) As used in this section, “homelessness” means the lack of a decent, safe, stable and permanent place to live that is fit for human habitation. (2) The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that: (a) Homelessness is a detriment to individuals, families and communities. The effects of homelessness impact quality of life, productivity and self-sufficiency, career and educational opportunities, health and wellness. Those effects may also extend to future generations. (b) Preventing and ending homelessness is important for all levels of government, business and the community. (3) The Housing and Community Services Department and the Department of Human Services shall serve as the lead agencies in administering the state policy regarding homelessness. (4) It is the policy of this state that the Housing and Community Services Department, the Department of Human Services, the Oregon Housing Stability Council and the Community Action Partnership of Oregon work to encourage innovation by state, regional and local agencies that will create the comprehensive and collaborative support system and housing resources vital for a successful campaign to end and prevent homelessness. The comprehensive and collaborative support system should include, but not be limited to: (a) The redesign of existing response systems to homelessness to include a realignment of services with permanent housing. (b) The inclusion of community-based treatment, outreach services, early intervention strategies, housing and service management and an interagency system that can address individuals with compound needs. (c) The coordination of multiagency services provided to people with chronic needs, older adults and homeless and runaway youths, including but not limited to criminal justice, housing, public welfare, health, mental health and youth and family services, to create integrated and cost-effective programs that deliver housing and service needs of homeless persons in a seamless and timely manner. (d) Programs of care for the homeless that have an accompanying set of outcomes to increase accountability and further development of more effective methods in reaching client outcome goals and cost effectiveness. Outcomes for increasing the accountability of programs of care for the homeless include shortening the length of stay in emergency housing, eliminating repeated periods of homelessness and addressing the issue of homelessness in all areas of the state. (e) An individualized approach to the homeless person that includes an assessment of individual needs, identification of appropriate solutions that may include services, coordination and cost-effective use of support across agencies and appropriate monitoring and evaluation of the homeless person’s individual progress. [2009 c.407 §1; 2015 c.180 §20] Sec. 1. Statewide shelter program; responsibilities of shelters receiving funds; rules. (1) As used in this section and section 2 of this 2025 Act: (a) “Planning partners” includes shelter providers, local jurisdictions, housing authorities, community action agencies, continuums of care, day center service providers, rehousing services providers, county mental health providers and coordinated care organizations. (b) “Program” means the statewide shelter program established under this section and section 2 of this 2025 Act. (c) “Regional assessment” means an assessment of current conditions, resources and outcomes relating to homelessness for the region. (d) “Regional coordinator” means a local government or nonprofit public benefit corporation that develops a regional assessment and plan and an annual report, and receives and distributes program funds for the region. (e) “Regional plan” means a plan that details the services and outcomes for the region that will be supported with program funds. (f) “Shelter” means a facility designed to provide temporary living arrangements on an emergency or transitional basis as may be further defined by the Housing and Community Services Department by rule. (g) “Shelter provider” means any person or local government that operates or funds shelters. (2) The Housing and Community Services Department shall establish a statewide shelter program for the purposes of reducing unsheltered homelessness and transitioning people from experiencing homelessness into housing stability. (3) In implementing the program, the department shall: (a) Focus on the outcomes of reducing unsheltered homelessness, transitioning people experiencing homelessness to housing stability and housing retention for people rehoused through the program; (b) Foster equity in outcomes for those disproportionately impacted by structural inequities in homelessness and the homelessness response system; (c) Require regional coordination in planning, funding and services; (d) Provide flexibility to allow regional coordinators and shelter providers to meet the needs of each community; (e) Facilitate consistent, predictable and trackable systems and services that allow the state, regional coordinators and shelter providers to plan for needs and reduce administrative burdens; and (f) Ensure accountability for regional coordinators and shelter providers for minimum expectations and outcomes. (4) Shelters receiving program funds must: (a) Primarily be available throughout the day and night, seven days a week, and during all seasons and weather; (b) Prioritize immediate access to shelter or transitional, temporary, permanent or other housing to provide stability and retention of housing; (c) Conduct operations and services using evidence-based practices, cultural responsivity, nondiscrimination and harm reduction; and (d) Use coordinated entry and homeless management information systems to ensure integration with federal systems and data collection. (5) The department shall adopt rules to administer the program, which must include rules establishing: (a) Guidelines and funding agreements applicable to regional plans and funded shelters; (b) Shelter types and services that may be eligible to receive funding from the regional coordinators; (c) Minimum habitability and service requirements for each eligible shelter type; (d) Policies regarding low-barrier and nonexclusionary shelter programs; (e) Policies regarding exit and separation from shelter services; (f) The requirements of agreements between regional coordinators and shelter providers; and (g) A funding formula as described in section 2 (8) of this 2025 Act. (6) Regional coordinators, regional plans and shelter providers may not establish requirements for services or use of funds different from, or in addition to, the requirements established by the department without review and approval by the department. (7) Not later than November 15 of each year, the department shall submit, in the manner required under ORS 192.245, a report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to housing on the status and outcomes of the program. [2025 c.510 §1] Sec. 2. Regional coordination, assessments, plans and reports. (1) The Housing and Community Services Department, after consultation with local planning partners, shall divide the state into regions, each no smaller than a single county, through which the statewide shelter program established under section 1 of this 2025 Act is implemented. (2) The department, after consultation with local planning partners, shall establish and administer a process by which the department selects a regional coordinator for each region of the state. (3) Upon selecting a regional coordinator, the department shall enter into an agreement with a five-year to six-year term and which the department may agree to renew on a noncompetitive basis. During an agreement term, the department shall provide ongoing funding to operate the program to the regional coordinator. The department may only terminate the agreement during its term for good cause. (4) Each regional coordinator is responsible for completing and submitting to the department: (a) A regional assessment, once within the first year of the agreement term, which must include, within the region: (A) Counts and the current conditions of individuals experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness; (B) The amount of federal, state and local funds spent on homelessness services by service type; (C) Identification of current shelters and their services and capacity; (D) Identification of planning partners for the regional plan; (E) Community identified needs and priorities related to shelter and shelter services; and (F) Other information or data collection as required by the department. (b) A regional plan, updated every two years, that includes: (A) Proposed actions to be taken by the regional coordinator and planning partners to further the values and purposes of the program; (B) Proposed homelessness services and outcomes to be implemented by the regional coordinator, planning partners and shelter providers to address findings in the regional assessment; (C) A proposed budget to fund the maintenance or expansion of eligible shelters and services through shelter providers within the region and to administer program moneys; and (D) Other information or data collection as required by the department. (c) An annual report, after the first year of the first agreement term, reporting on the progress made under the regional plan. (5) Regional plans: (a) Must prioritize: (A) System capacity that provides shelter availability throughout the day and night, seven days a week, and during all seasons and weather. (B) Ongoing stability for existing shelters receiving state funding. (b) Must support culturally specific and rural shelter providers and planning partners to meet the unique needs of communities. (c) Must integrate and support tribal sovereignty. (d) May include, as appropriate, diverse housing-focused shelter options, including: (A) Congregate and noncongregate shelters that meet habitability requirements established by the department; or (B) Safe temporary emergency placement sites that meet health and safety requirements established by the department for the purposes of vehicular camping or siting basic freestanding structures that are structurally sound, are weatherproof and have a locking door. (6)(a) A regional coordinator shall ensure that at least 70 percent of regional shelter funding is provided for shelters providing low-barrier practices with the balance available for recovery-based shelter. (b) As used in this subsection: (A) “Low-barrier” has the meaning given that term by rule by the department. (B) “Recovery-based shelter” means shelter that provides optional recovery systems that are client-driven and support social integration, support services and respect for individuals, and as may be further defined by the department by rule. (7) The department shall review each submitted regional assessment, plan and report for compliance with program requirements and alignment with the state homelessness response. The department may approve, approve with conditions or request changes and resubmission of a proposed regional assessment. The department, in its discretion, may withhold program funding to a regional coordinator until the approval of the regional assessment, plan or annual report. (8) In providing funding to the regions through the program, the department shall establish a funding formula that considers: (a) Needs of the region; and (b) Past performance of the region. (9) The department shall establish a formal grievance system to review, track and mediate disputes between shelter providers and regional coordinators. The grievance system may not issue orders or otherwise adjudicate disputes. [2025 c.510 §2] Sec. 4. Sections 1 and 2 of this 2025 Act are repealed on January 2, 2034. [2025 c.510 §4]