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Housing Services E-Newsletter
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Hello Washington County,
Happy start to summer and, an observance close to my heart, Pride Month.
I am thrilled to share with you some exciting news: our Forest Grove Permanent Supportive Housing project will be receiving a major funding award by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), rounding out earlier commitments to fully fund this project. Earlier this year, we announced plans for the new housing community in Forest Grove, which happens to be the 13th development funded through the Metro Affordable Housing Bond for Washington County. With Metro and OHCS funding, and partners like Centro Cultural, the Forest Grove City Council, Housing Development Center, Transcending Hope, and many others, this award positions our housing authority as a trusted housing leader across Oregon. I couldn’t be prouder of these partnerships and our team in securing the first ever 9 percent low-income housing tax credit award given to Washington County.
This month also marked another meaningful milestone: Washington County has ended housing instability for more than 3,000 households through the Supportive Housing Services program. This milestone reflects the sustained coordination of our outreach teams, shelter staff, case managers, and service providers focusing on permanent solutions. Notably, nearly 70 percent of exits from our street outreach programs now lead directly to shelter or housing, a remarkable shift from what I witnessed early in my career. This incredible progress is life-changing for thousands of individuals and families that once found shelter in cars, tents, or other precarious situations, now resting easier knowing they have a home to rely on.
Best,
Molly
| | Washington County reaches major milestone: 3,000+ families housed! 🏠 | | |
Washington County reached a major milestone this quarter. Since the Supportive Housing Services (SHS) measure began in 2020, more than 3,000 households have moved from homelessness into stable housing. This is a powerful reminder of what steady, long‑term effort can accomplish, and it reflects thousands of people finding safety, stability, and a fresh start.
The second half of this year continued that momentum. SHS programs helped residents secure housing, including 224 households in Permanent Supportive Housing, 238 in Rapid Re-Housing, and 227 households who avoided homelessness through prevention support. These steady gains show a system that is working for the people who need it most.
Shelter and outreach efforts also remained strong. So far this year, 410 shelter units have been available across Washington County, and outreach teams connected with 992 people and helped them access safety, services, and pathways to housing. Each point of contact represents another step toward stability.
This milestone would not have been possible without the work of our nonprofit partners and the dedication of program staff who support residents every day. We are also grateful to the voters who chose to invest in long‑term solutions through the SHS measure.
Your support has made this progress possible. Thank you.
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Interested in waitlist openings?
Keep up to date with the department's affordable housing and vouchers' waitlist openings by easily creating a profile on our portal to receive notifications. You can also check out our dedicated waitlists' webpage that includes non-county operated properties. Share with family, friends, and colleagues.
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Hillsboro Access Center construction kicks off
Washington County is thrilled to announce that the Hillsboro Access Center, a future safe and welcoming space designed to support neighbors experiencing homelessness, has broken ground in downtown Hillsboro! The center will operate as a true one-stop hub for personalized support, offering showers, laundry, bathrooms, nutrient-dense meals, transportation passes, emergency supplies, peer support, and on-site care from community partners. Every piece of this work is focused on helping people stabilize and move forward.
Open daily from 7 AM to 7 PM, the access center will also provide overnight shelter during severe weather and is being built with full ADA accessibility in mind. Staff will assist with housing navigation, case management, and help obtain IDs and birth certificates for those enrolled in shelter and housing programs.
Led by local non-profit Project Homeless Connect (PHC), the access center will be instrumental in tackling the homelessness crisis. Kim Marshall, PHC’s Executive Director, shared: “Everyone deserves a safe place to be seen, supported, and connected to hope. This access center, being built for our homeless friends, represents our community’s commitment to treating every person with dignity while providing pathways toward stability and housing.”
Construction began this spring, supported by the Supportive Housing Services measure and local fundraising efforts, and remains on track for opening next spring. Stay tuned!
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Do you have a story to share?
Do you know of someone who may want to share their housing story with us? Or perhaps you work in housing and want to inform others of a specific experience? We want to hear from you and share positive impactful stories with our community.
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Woodspring affordable housing renovations hit the home stretch
The Woodspring Apartments renovation project is officially past the halfway mark, and progress is rolling right along.
After breaking ground last year, the Housing Authority of Washington County and Walsh Construction have hit a steady rhythm on site. Crews say the interior upgrades are moving smoothly, and the exterior work is even a little ahead of schedule. It is shaping up to be a major step toward preserving 172 affordable homes for years to come.
This is about more than new finishes and fresh paint. It is a long-term investment in safe, stable, energy-efficient housing for the residents who call Woodspring home. From updated living spaces to improvements that extend the life of the buildings, this project helps ensure families can stay rooted in their community. With completion expected in spring 2027, excitement on-site is growing as each milestone brings the property one step closer to its future.
“It’s really exciting to see all the progress on site. I’m glad we’re able to add air conditioning to all the apartments as part of the renovation. Preserving and improving this affordable housing will serve the community well for a long time,” shared Sean Merrick, Sr. Project Manager at JH Brawner, the development firm leading the project.
Want to learn more about this project? Visit our dedicated Woodspring renovations webpage.
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Megan’s story: City liasons collaborating to bridge gaps
Across Washington County, our partner cities are working hard behind the scenes to make sure our most vulnerable neighbors are connected to help without falling through the cracks. Through the City Liaison Program, people like Megan Cohen work inside Tigard, Tualatin, Sherwood, Hillsboro, and Beaverton to help city teams and county housing services improve communication and solve problems together. It is the kind of coordination most residents will never see, but it makes a real difference to someone in crisis.
Megan often describes her work as “helping the helpers.” She is the person cities can call when something is confusing, when a process is stuck, or when a resident needs support that spans more than one department or jurisdiction. She has seen firsthand how a small connection between the right city staff and the right county program can completely change the outcome for someone who is scared, tired, or out of options. These moments stick with her, and they remind her why this partnership matters.
None of this happens without the commitment of our cities. Their willingness to collaborate, ask questions, and try new approaches enables the whole system to move faster and respond more compassionately. If you want to hear some of the moments that have stayed with Megan and see how these cities’ partnerships lead to real outcomes for real people, you can read the full story here.
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Department of Housing Services
WE ARE HIRING!
A spectrum of jobs in housing are available from entry level to upper management with a competitive benefits package and a dynamic hardworking environment. Click here to view available positions.
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The Department of Housing Services creates pathways out of homelessness, promotes housing stability, and invests in affordable communities for Washington County and our residents. | |  | | | | |
