Clackamas County says voter-approved SHS measure helped house thousands; Tualatin awarded $250,000 food pantry grant

Vahid Brown, deputy director of housing and community development for the Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services Department, briefed the Tualatin City Council on Feb. 9 about the county’s implementation of the Supportive Housing Services (SHS) measure and its outcomes through the 2024–25 fiscal year.

"Since 2021, when we began implementation, 2,871 people have been housed in Clackamas County," Brown said, citing the county's SHS data through June 30, 2025. He added that the county's permanent supportive housing (PSH) retention rate is 95% for households receiving regional long-term rent assistance combined with supportive services.

Brown outlined the SHS budget for FY 2024–25 at $73,500,000 and explained the measure’s allocation rules: 75% of tax revenues must serve people with extensive histories of homelessness ("population A") and 25% must serve households at risk of homelessness. Major budget items he described include ARLA (regional long-term rent assistance), housing retention and PSH investments, shelter and rapid rehousing, outreach and system investments such as coordinated housing access and HMIS.

He highlighted program innovations and system improvements: Clackamas Village, a 24-unit pod village opened in May 2025 with 24/7 on-site staffing; a 23-hour crisis stabilization center with 13 short-term beds; a culturally specific family shelter opened by the Native American Youth and Family Association; a live-answer Coordinated Housing Access phone line; and new health-and-housing case conferencing practices. Brown said rapid rehousing served 423 people in 2024–25 and that homelessness prevention represented a $7.3 million investment in the county.

Brown also described Housing for Success, a new three-year economic empowerment program that provides matched savings and intensive supports for lower-acuity ARLA households to reduce long-term PSH cost pressure. He said Clackamas County administers 1,800 ARLA households and pairs vouchers with supportive services rather than offering ARLA-only vouchers.

On local impacts, Brown said county-run CHA (Coordinated Housing Access) will prioritize callers who have a meaningful connection to Clackamas County and that Tualatin residents who call will be served; he gave the CHA phone number as (503) 655-8575 during the Q&A.

Councilors asked about university partnerships (for data and practicum placements), the volatility of tax revenues and state funding cuts (Brown said eviction-prevention funding from Oregon Housing and Community Services had been reduced by about 74%), and how the county is planning for forecast revenue dips in 2027–28. Brown reiterated SHS provided a stabilizing floor for the regional system and allowed city-led initiatives, noting Tualatin received a $250,000 award for the Tualatin Food Pantry to upgrade HVAC and refrigeration.

What happens next: Council members expressed appreciation and requested follow-up information about local coordination; Brown said staff will continue to work through CHA to route Tualatin callers to county services and to coordinate city-led projects funded through SHS.

Sources: Presentation by Vahid Brown, Deputy Director, Clackamas County Housing and Community Development, to Tualatin City Council, Feb. 9, 2026.