PORTLAND, Ore. – Homeless services providers and tenant advocacy groups across Oregon are cutting staff and scaling back programs, citing steep reductions in state housing funds. The cuts stretch from Portland to Eugene and smaller communities like Monmouth and Redmond, raising fears that fewer Oregonians will get help just as evictions and homelessness are rising.
Cuts Ripple Across the State
The Springfield Eugene Tenant Association is one of the many nonprofits hit hard. Executive Director Tim Morris said the group was forced to reduce its full-time staff from six to two. That reduction means the organization can now support only about 2,200 households annually, down from 4,000 last year.
“We’re seeing the most vulnerable folks getting squeezed on both ends,” Morris said. “The cost of everything, including housing and food, is rising, while prevention dollars like rent assistance are being cut dramatically. We are approaching a future in which tenants are just alone and won’t have folks in their corner.”
The Community Alliance of Tenants in Portland suffered one of the most dramatic blows. The renter advocacy group laid off nearly its entire staff—28 people—after its state funding fell by more than $1.4 million, a 66% cut. The nonprofit’s website now carries a red banner warning of slow response times and urging donations to keep services afloat…