City Homeless Services Specialist
The City's new Homeless Services Specialist serves as a
single point of contact for individuals in need. For more information contact
Aaron Sando at 503-618-3210 or Aaron.Sando@GreshamOregon.gov.
Clean Start
Gresham now provides paid, mentored work experience for
individuals transitioning out of homelessness through the Central City Concern
(CCC) Clean Start program. Read about Clean Start.
Cleaning up homeless camps
Clean-ups occur regularly along the Springwater Trail and other areas. More than 120 camps were posted and cleaned in 2015. Report problem camps and illegal dump sites through My Gresham.
Ending veteran homelessness
The City joined A Home for Everyone to place nearly 700 local veterans into permanent housing.
Proactive law enforcement
The City's Neighborhood Enforcement Team proactively works with the community to address livability issues.
Funding for outreach workers in Gresham
The City's partner JOIN specifically works directly with the homeless, helping them gain stability and return to housing.
Protecting sensitive natural areas
In February the City closed a 60-acre parcel along the Springwater Trail, known as Gresham Woods, to all human activity to allow this area to recover from serious environmental damage. Additionally, JOIN outreach workers are providing low-impact camping education to the homeless to prevent further destruction in other areas.
Gathering better data
The City assisted with the 2015 Point-in-Time Count. It provides critical data on homelessness for resource allocation and decision making.
Pass-through funding for local providers
The City partners with Human Solutions and other social service providers to bring families out of homelessness using federal Community Development Block Grants.
Support for homeless students
The Second Home program provides stable housing for Gresham high school youth in partnership with the Gresham-Barlow School District, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and East Metro Mediation.
Participation with Home Forward
Councilor David Widmark and two Gresham residents serve on the board of directors for Home Forward, which advocates for affordable housing where families are being priced out of the community.
A Home for Everyone strategies and investments
The City is participating in a countywide effort to reduce homelessness by 50% by the end of 2017.
Dozens of strategies have been approved by A Home for Everyone, and $30 million in new investments for 2016-17 are under consideration by Multnomah County and the City of Portland to implement these strategies.
If fully funded:
- $10 million will go to constructing affordable housing in Portland.
- $12.5 million to help place people into housing.
- $5 million to increase shelter space.
- $2.5 million to help prevent 1,000 people from entering homelessness.