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Housing Services Newsletter |
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January 25, 2022 | HousingServices@co.washington.or.us |
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Welcome to the
Department of Housing Services newsletter!
Welcome, you have received this email because we gathered your contact information through the Supportive Housing Services (SHS) program newsletter or Affordable Housing Bond engagement work. We will continue to send out updates about the Supportive Housing Services program but wanted to share more broadly the work of Housing Services in this newsletter moving forward. This is our first newsletter of many more to come. Topics will include updates on building affordable housing, programs addressing homelessness, HUD (Housing & Urban Development) funded programs, Housing Authority work and more.
If you’re not interested, please unsubscribe at the bottom of this email. If you think of others who would like to follow along, please forward this newsletter and encourage them to sign up by clicking the button below.
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The Viewfinder Opens its Doors to Formerly Homeless Veterans, Families, and Individuals! |
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Tenants began moving into the Viewfinder just in time to celebrate 2022 in their new homes. The Viewfinder is the first Washington County agency project funded by the Regional Affordable Housing bond program with 81 units of affordable housing, including 27 Permanent Supportive Housing apartments, with 8 apartments set aside for formerly homeless veterans.
This project opens its doors just as Washington County becomes the first jurisdiction in Oregon to join the House America initiative, recognizing the steps the Department of Housing Services has taken to allocate additional housing vouchers for veterans, individuals, and families experiencing homelessness. Some of these vouchers are located at the Viewfinder apartment building and supported with case management funded by the Supportive Housing Services measure. This 70% increase in federally funded vouchers for people experiencing homelessness and the 500 Regional Long-term Rent Assistance vouchers coming online in the next year is a game changer for helping our most vulnerable community members attain stable housing.
The Viewfinder is just the first of many more apartment buildings sponsored by the Department, with a total of 812 affordable homes open, under construction, or in the planning stages! Other buildings underway include 144 new apartment homes at the Terrace Glen, our largest building, the Aloha Inn, our first 100% Permanent Supportive Housing building, and the Valfre at Avenida 26.
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One last 2021 curve ball…
Winter Storm Triggers Activation of Washington County Severe Weather Shelters
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Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici touring Beaverton Winter Shelter location with Just Compassion case managers, Emma Burridge and Rosie Fellman |
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When forecasts showed temperatures dipping well below freezing and potential snow just days before the long holiday weekend, staff sprang into action to activate our severe weather shelter program from December 26 to January 3, 2022. In total, the program served 88 people and welcomed anywhere between 16-58 guests during the 9 day weather event.
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici shared in a recent KOIN article, “As winter sets in, I continue to think about the thousands of Oregonians and Americans experiencing homelessness. Finding a solution to the lack of affordable, accessible housing will take collaboration across all levels of government and the private sector. At the federal level, I’m committed to advocating for increased resources to help these families and individuals.”
Huge thank you to our partners Project Homeless Connect, Just Compassion, and Open Door and to staff for providing lifesaving outreach and shelter to the most vulnerable members of our community. Because of your tireless efforts, we were able to provide shelter to anyone who came through our doors during that challenging week, and no one was turned away.
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Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici shared in a recent KOIN article, “As winter sets in, I continue to think about the thousands of Oregonians and Americans experiencing homelessness. Finding a solution to the lack of affordable, accessible housing will take collaboration across all levels of government and the private sector. At the federal level, I’m committed to advocating for increased resources to help these families and individuals.”
Huge thank you to our partners Project Homeless Connect, Just Compassion, and Open Door and to staff for providing lifesaving outreach and shelter to the most vulnerable members of our community. Because of your tireless efforts, we were able to provide shelter to anyone who came through our doors during that challenging week, and no one was turned away.
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The Washington County Department of Housing Services was formed in 1992 to administer housing activities and programs of the county and the Washington County Housing Authority. The mission of the Department of Housing Services is to provide a continuum of affordable housing options that promotes community strength. The department offers rental assistance to low-income households through various federally funded programs, creates affordable housing opportunities in the community for low- and moderate-income households through a combination of creative financing and partnerships with public and private entities and administers programs to address homelessness including A Road Home: Washington County’s 10-year Plan to End Homelessness and the new Supportive Housing Services program.
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