(Astoria, OR) — Clatsop County has been notified by Governor Tina Kotek that the county meets the criteria to be included in the Homelessness State of Emergency declared on Jan. 10, 2023.
“Clatsop County has the highest share of homelessness among their general population when compared to other Oregon counties and we are very pleased that the governor recognizes the great need we have to address this critical problem,” said Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Chair Mark Kujala.
“We look forward to working with Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to address this basic human need for shelter,” he said.
Governor Kotek made the decision to include Clatsop County in the emergency order after Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) reviewed county data and determined that Clatsop County meets the criteria for inclusion: the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners declared a local state of emergency related to homelessness; the number of unsheltered people in Clatsop County (529 in 2022) exceeded the minimum threshold of 30 households experiencing unsheltered homelessness; and, the share of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Clatsop County is 99%, which exceeds the minimum threshold of a rate of unsheltered homelessness of 80% or greater.
Ongoing efforts by the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners to address the homeless population include the approved purchase of the 22-room Columbia Inn through an agreement with the Oregon Community Foundation and Project Turnkey.
For more information on Clatsop County housing initiatives, visit ClatsopCounty.gov.