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SALEM, OR – Gov. Tina Kotek on Tuesday extended Oregon’s state of emergency on unsheltered homelessness, sharpening the state’s focus on mental health and addiction as ongoing threats to public health, safety and economic stability.
The emergency, first declared in January 2023, will now remain in effect through Jan. 10, 2027, unless modified or terminated earlier. Kotek said the extension reflects both progress made and the continued urgency of addressing homelessness alongside behavioral health needs.
“We have helped thousands of people move from the streets into shelter, from shelter into homes, and prevented thousands more from experiencing homelessness in the first place,” Kotek said in a statement. “But we must maintain the momentum and strengthen our focus on the intersection of homelessness, mental health, and addiction.”
Kotek said her administration’s work to expand treatment beds and strengthen the behavioral health workforce will support the renewed effort. “Working together, we can continue to reduce rates of unsheltered homelessness,” she said.
Progress since 2023
The governor initially declared a homelessness emergency on January 10, 2023, in regions that saw increases of 50% or more in unsheltered homelessness between 2017 and 2022. The order has been extended several times, most recently through Executive Order 25-01 issued January 7, 2025.
According to the Governor Kotek’s office, from January 2023 through September 2025, emergency actions resulted in 6,286 new and maintained shelter beds statewide. During that period, 5,539 Oregonians experiencing unsheltered homelessness were rehoused, and nearly 26,000 households received assistance to prevent homelessness.
State officials say those gains, while significant, have not resolved the underlying challenges faced by many people living without shelter. A large share of people experiencing chronic homelessness also live with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, traumatic brain injuries or other behavioral health conditions. These co-occurring issues often lead to repeated interactions with emergency rooms, psychiatric facilities, jails and crisis systems.
“Through daily work serving people experiencing homelessness, we see every day how closely homelessness is tied to untreated mental health and addiction,” said Scott Kerman, former executive director of Blanchet House. “Housing saves lives, and stability and success occur when people also have access to treatment, care, and ongoing support.”
New goals and investments
Under the extended order, the state of emergency continues to apply to the Metro region continuums of care, Central Oregon, Lane County, Jackson County, Marion and Polk counties, Linn County, Clatsop County and Malheur County.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management will continue coordinating the emergency response, while Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Oregon Health Authority will focus on longer-term solutions.
New goals outlined in the order include rehousing an additional 1,400 households, preventing homelessness for more than 8,000 households and investing $20 million during the 2025–27 biennium to support intensive permanent supportive housing. The order also calls for expanded behavioral health capacity and improved coordination between housing and health care systems.
In addition, Kotek’s action releases $19 million in previously allocated funds to expand community capacity for people connected with the justice system who are unable to aid and assist in their own defense. Those funds will support 36 transitional housing beds in Clackamas County and 72 additional beds, including secure and nonresidential treatment facilities.
Andrea Bell, executive director of Oregon Housing and Community Services, said the state remains committed to long-term solutions. “Every Oregonian deserves to live a dignified life—one where they have the freedom and security of knowing they can afford to have a place to call home,” Bell said. “Through local and state partnerships, we remain vigorously committed to materially making everyday life better.”
The emergency order takes effect immediately. Kotek said she will reassess it every two months to ensure it reflects current conditions and progress.
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Tim Lantz
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