OHCS-funded Hope Center in Lincoln City.

Nov. 14, 2024

Media Contact: Delia Hernández                          

HCS.mediarequests@hcs.oregon.gov 

Correction: Family Faith and Relationship Advocates (FARA), not the Phoenix School of Roseburg, was chosen to receive Youth Emergency Housing Assistance program funding.

OHCS invests $5 million to help youth experiencing homelessness in rural Oregon

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is investing $5 million to combat rural homelessness through the Youth Emergency Housing Assistance Program (YEHA). The $5 million will be disbursed to five different organizations in Coos, Klamath, Lincoln, Douglas, and Josephine Counties that help youth and their families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless.

“We are committed to ensuring every young person in Oregon has a safe place to call home,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “By investing in real solutions to address youth homelessness, we aim to bridge the funding and service gaps that rural communities often face. This investment will help create sustainable pathways to housing stability and increase opportunities for our youth to thrive.”

The YEHA project team analyzed data from both Oregon’s Emergency Homelessness Response and the Department of Education to identify which communities had the highest rate of youth experiencing homelessness to ensure these funds make the biggest possible impact. The YEHA project team chose the Coos County Office of Homelessness Response, Integral Youth Services in Klamath County, the Lincoln County Housing Authority, Family Faith and Relationship Advocates (FARA) in Douglas County, and the Maslow Project in Josephine County to receive funding.

"This funding will empower us to expand our outreach, enhance our support services, and build sustainable solutions for the unique challenges faced by our Josephine County community,” said Maslow Project Founder and Executive Director Mary Ferrell. “It’s a vital step toward ensuring that youth and families in our county can access safe and stable housing. We know that when stabilized, youth are far more likely to finish high school, improve their long-term outcomes, and end the cycle of homelessness.”

YEHA aims to provide housing-focused services to school-age children and their families to enhance family stability and school success. The organizations in these counties will establish and promote intentional collaboration between schools and housing providers to extend a reliable family support network and optimize the funding’s impact. These resources will help cover expenses such as rent, utilities, work and educational support, moving costs, transportation, furniture, household goods, and more.

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)

OHCS is Oregon's housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of low and moderate income. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.

Thompson Springs rendering

SALEM, Ore. — On Friday, the Oregon Housing Stability Council approved a significant $165 million investment to help address the affordable housing crisis. This funding will support the construction of eight new housing developments, delivering more than 550 affordable homes to communities statewide. These projects will include 465 new rental homes, 87 homes for low-income homebuyers, and offer rental assistance and support services for residents at The Commons on MLK in Eugene. 

“We know there is more work to do, yet these gains show what’s possible when we work together,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “With each new home, we are building a brighter future for the state we love. A future where families won’t be forced to move multiple times in a school year to find an affordable place to live. A future where progress is driven by the community and supported by the state. A future where we bridge the gap between our current reality and our potential, making life better for all Oregonians.” 

Development details:

Rental

Homeownership

These developments address a critical need for affordable housing and community resources. Many of the rental developments will include spaces for resident services, such as community rooms, playgrounds, and on-site programs. For example, Colonia Libertad II in Salem will offer after-school programs and financial literacy workshops to support agricultural workers and their families.

Homeownership developments, such as Thompson Springs in Tillamook, are designed with affordability and inclusivity in mind. Thompson Springs will incorporate universal design features to meet the needs of individuals with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities.

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)

OHCS is Oregon's housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of low and moderate income. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs. 

LINCOLN CITY, Ore. — A wildfire survivor is finding hope after moving into a new affordable housing community on the Oregon coast. On Labor Day in 2020, Micheal Haft remembers he had just gotten off work when he saw a fire approaching his home. What turned out to be the Echo Mountain Complex Fire engulfed his home the next day after he and others in the area evacuated. He lost nearly everything.  

“When I came home from work, the mountain was on fire,” Micheal said. “By about midnight, the whole mountain was lit up. Tornado fires came in with heavy wind. Homes were gone in a matter of minutes.”

After the fire, Micheal, who is a lifelong Lincoln County resident, moved from place to place, including living with one of his daughters and temporary shelters. Now, four years later, he has a permanent place to call home. He moved into the recently opened Wecoma Place – a 100% affordable housing development, that provides culturally responsive and support services. 

“I’m a different person, a lot happier, meeting people. We might have some training here to teach me how to cook, because I don’t cook very well,” he said. 

Funded in part by 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Housing Disaster Tax Credits, as well as a wildfire and General Housing Account Program grants from Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), Wecoma Place is one of the newest state-funded projects that gives preference to wildfire survivors.

“Micheal’s story shows us how local and state partnerships can work hand in hand to provide real housing solutions for Oregonians in need,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “We know there is still much to do, but with the opening of Wecoma Place and other wildfire-preference developments on the horizon, we are delivering progress.”

Micheal wants other survivors to know they’re not alone, that there are housing resources, people, and organizations who want to help. 

“I hope some other people up in the mountain who are still looking for a home, I hope they find a home, because I know what it’s like not to have a home,” he said. “I’ve learned there’s always hope now, and I feel so much better that I have my own space, my own way of life.”

To learn more about Micheal’s story, hear from him in his own words in this video.