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HOPE News

People sitting around a conference table hold a meeting with virtual attendees on a large TV in the background.

May 25, 2023 in Health NewsHOPE NewsNews

Coordinated Homelessness Response Update: Draft Strategic Plan Presented

People sitting around a conference table hold a meeting with virtual attendees on a large TV in the background.

Benton County, the City of Corvallis, and Community Services Consortium (CSC) are part of a pilot program sponsored by Oregon State House Bill 4123 to support a coordinated response to homelessness. As required by HB 4123 (2022), staff from the newly formed Benton County Coordinated Homelessness Response Office are preparing a five-year strategic plan to be finalized this summer. The draft strategic plan was presented to the Home, Opportunity, Planning, and Equity (HOPE) Advisory Board meeting for feedback. The meeting, held Wednesday, May 24 at the Benton County Kalapuya Building in Corvallis and online, was the first hybrid format meeting for the committee since the onset of the pandemic.

View a video of the meeting.

The draft strategic plan was created in alignment with HB 4123 requirements, incorporates the twelve HOPE Policy Recommendations, and will include input from regional health assessment partners gathered at outreach events this spring and summer. Key elements of the strategic plan include:

  • Sustainable funding for ongoing operations of the coordinated homelessness response system
  • Increasing or streamlining resources and services to people at risk of or experiencing homelessness
  • Incorporating national best practices for ending homelessness
  • Eliminating racial disparities within the service area
  • Creating pathways to permanent and supportive housing that is affordable to local populations experiencing or at risk of homelessness

“We are so fortunate to have an active group of partners and community members,” shared Coordinated Homeless Response Office Program Coordinator, Julie Arena. “Well before the enactment of HB 4123, the City of Corvallis and Benton County were building the foundation for coordinated homeless response as part of a ten-year plan to address homelessness. With this strong foundation, Benton County deployed state and federal investments as they became available starting in 2020 and applied for HB 4123 funding in 2022.”

The County has leveraged state, federal, and local funds including Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and other funds to bring over $9 million in new investments to fund food, shelter, eviction prevention, and capacity for community-based organizations.

Learn more about what has already been accomplished:

Benton County Commissioner Nancy Wyse is a liaison to the HOPE Advisory Board and is pleased with the progress made by the Coordinated Homelessness Response Office so far. “Benton County is committed to using resources effectively to directly address homelessness. In addition to the City of Corvallis and Community Services Consortium, we are grateful for community members and partners who have joined with us in this vitally important work.”

Benton County is facing a significant challenge as the number of individuals experiencing homelessness continues to grow in Oregon. Recent data reveals that Benton County has the highest rent-burdened city in Oregon, with 40% of all renters paying more than 50% of their income on rent.

The HOPE Advisory Board is a joint effort between Benton County and the City of Corvallis to facilitate a comprehensive, coordinated response from the county, cities, and diverse community partners, leaders, and persons experiencing homelessness. The Board meets on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Visit the HOPE Advisory Board webpage for information about attending a meeting or to subscribe to the HOPE News & Updates email list.

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Benton County is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring and employment practices. This document is available in alternative formats and languages upon request. Please contact the Public Information Office at 541-766-6800 or pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov.

E-news is here!

March 31, 2023 in Health NewsHOPE News

Homeless Response News 3-31-23

HOPE Story: Amanda from Community Outreach, Inc.

“With everything that COI has done for me, including aftercare, I’m going back to college to learn to be a peer support specialist. I have my own apartment. I have the most amazing service animal. My life is good and I have the coping skills I need. It’s been the best thing that has ever happened.” 

Eight years ago, Amanda went to Community Outreach, Inc, (COI), a transformational housing program in Corvallis, after an interaction with law enforcement. She was using drugs at the time and recovering from the sudden loss of her beloved life partner. Amanda was injured in the interaction and spent time at the emergency room and intensive care units with life-threatening bullet wounds. She acknowledges her own responsibility in the interaction and recognizes that it put her on the path to healing and learning to thrive at COI.

Ty, a case manager from COI visited Amanda in the hospital. Amanda says, “If Ty hadn’t been the one that came to my hospital room, I probably wouldn’t be here today. I wouldn’t be alive.” Amanda connected with COI’s case manager because she related to him and because he met her where she was. At COI, she recovered, got sober, connected with a service animal, and found stable housing.

Community Progress Update – HOPE Recommendations

Find out about new community progress made toward implementing HOPE policy recommendations.

Some highlights include:

See the full list on our webpage

What is a Resource / Navigation Center?

“The drop-in center exists because people need to feel loved and understand that they’re cared for and have a social community that they can be a part of and feel safe.”

Allison Hobgood, executive director of the Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center.

A resource center, also called a navigation center, is a space for providers from different social service organizations to meet with and enroll people in programs that help them improve their life stability and meet their needs. This work is in direct alignment with the Benton County HOPE Advisory Board policy recommendations.

Our community partners have continued to work hard for years to ensure these services are available to community members who need them. Read on to learn more about resource & navigation centers in Benton County:

Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center (CDDC) is working on a plan to expand their hours and services by building a Homeless Navigation Center which will provide 24-7 shelter and crucial services to county residents who are experiencing homelessness. The Drop-in Center currently serves as a one-stop-shop access point to service providers and case management, basic needs navigation, employment resources, and more, but is limited in its current location. Expanding the Center would allow more services in a bigger space to better support. CDDC also hopes to provide a low-barrier, non-congregate emergency shelter with the additional space and resources. Watch the video above and read the news release to learn more.

The South Benton Food Pantry in Monroe has provided food assistance and connection to services for years, but the needs of the community outgrew the available space. They recently purchased the building from which they operate to expand and add more services and resources. The location is now growing to include Kepi Nak-Nak Commons, a resource center which will serve as a central hub for the South Benton community to access service providers and resources. Services include food assistance, healthcare support, housing navigation, utility assistance, education, childcare, support for victims of domestic violence, and more. Learn more at their website.

HOPE Coordinated Homeless Response Office Outreach

The Coordinated Homeless Response Office, which includes staff from Benton County, the City of Corvallis, and Community Services Consortium, is working to finalize its strategic plan for Coordinated Homeless Response in Benton County, per HB 4123 requirements.

Benton County staff, along with Commissioner Nancy Wyse, are presenting at city councils and other public meetings to educate the community about the history, current state, and future goals of coordinated homeless response. The Office is working to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by smaller and rural communities in Benton County, and looking to strengthen collaboration and partnership in those areas.

Visit the Coordinated Homeless Response Office webpage for more information.

Benton County Partners with Local Non-profit Provider for Severe Weather Sheltering

This winter, Benton County funded Faith Hope and Charity, Inc., a Corvallis based non-profit organization, to provide severe weather overflow sheltering for unhoused Benton County residents. This is for individuals who are not able to access current Benton County shelters for whatever reason. Outreach is occurring within Benton County to identify individuals in need and connect them with these services.

More information on overnight shelters, public warming centers, and other resources is available at bit.ly/BentonCountyWarmingCenters. 

You can learn more about Faith Hope and Charity at their website.

For more information, contact healthdeptcommunications@bentoncountyor.gov

Funding Opportunities for Service Providers

Are you a provider of health, social, and/or homeless services?

The Grant Writer & Researcher for the Benton County Coordinated Homeless Response Office has compiled a list of upcoming funding opportunities from local, state, and national funders that relate to HOPE and homelessness work in the Benton County region.

Benton County service providers can reach out to libbi.l.winter@gmail.com with questions or to inquire about technical assistance for applying.

November 8, 2022 in Health NewsHOPE News

Homeless Response News 11-8-22

Meet Sheena & Sam: A story from Corvallis Housing First

A woman and child pose and smile.

“There’s so much. Just breathe and keep your head up. Because even though it feels like you’re going to drown, there’s always people to help you. As long as you’re willing to put your hand up and say, ‘I need help.’”

Sheena is a single mom who has been utilizing Corvallis Housing First’s case management services for a little over a year. Her and her son Sam (age 6) lost their housing in California and moved to Oregon in hopes of having a better chance in finding a place to live. They were unable to find housing and had no other options but to camp. Due to their housing instability, Sheena asked Sam’s grandparents on his father’s side if they could care for him until she was able to become more stable and get back into housing. They are now reunited and live in an apartment of their own.

Community Progress Update – HOPE Recommendations

A chart illustrating the components of a shelter system.

In June, we issued a Community Progress Report, detailing ways in which the City, County, and community partners were progressing toward the implementation of and alignment with the HOPE recommendations.

Since then, we’ve made updates to our HOPE Recommendations and Community Progress webpage, detailing additional progress made since the June report was released.

Some highlights include:

Visit our page to see all of the progress

Benton County, City of Corvallis, & Community Services Consortium (CSC) memorialize partnership to implement Coordinated Homeless Response System

Benton County, the City of Corvallis, and Community Services Consortium (CSC) this month finalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to memorialize the existing partnership between the three agencies toward addressing homelessness.

The purpose of the MOU is to establish an effective framework for collaboration among the parties for the development of a coordinated homeless response.

The signed MOU marks one more step toward meeting the requirements set forth in House Bill 4123, a state pilot program awarding municipal partnerships $1 million in funding to support coordinated homeless response.

While Corvallis is currently the only Benton County city signed on to the MOU, the County hopes additional cities will join. Language in the memorandum was developed intentionally to allow additional cities to easily sign into partnership with the County.

Benton County Partners with Community in Prioritizing Housing Solutions, ROCKit Grant Program Maps the Way

A pink and purple sunrise over pine trees with mountains in the distance.

“Solutions to homelessness are a priority for our community and Benton County is committed to addressing affordability and homelessness by engaging the whole community in assuring safe, healthy, and affordable housing for all community members.”

Benton County, the City of Corvallis, Community Services Consortium, and key health and social service providers are partnering with Community ROCKit (Resource Organizer for Communities Kit) program in the development of a coordinated entry system that connects community members to housing and services.

An effective coordinated entry process helps Benton County prioritize the most vulnerable people in our community ensuring that people who need assistance the most can receive it in a timely manner. Coordinated entry processes also provide information about service needs and gaps to help communities plan their assistance and identify needed resources.

The grant-funded Community ROCKit program has previously partnered with Umatilla, Tillamook, Morrow, and Gilliam Counties to help these communities identify solutions to local challenges such as childcare affordability, access to mental health services, and emergency housing crisis. Benton County’s collaboration with ROCKit will build off the efforts of the Home, Opportunity, Planning, and Equity (HOPE) Board, a joint effort to facilitate a comprehensive, coordinated response to homelessness. The HOPE Board included coordinated entry in its recommendations to the City and County.

For more information, visit: communityrockit.org/bentoncounty

View the full news release

Benton County offers funding to support establishment of inclement weather center

Benton County Public Health is seeking funding proposals to help provide overnight emergency shelter for people experiencing houselessness during severe weather.

Up to $300,000 in funding could be available to support the provision and operation of a local inclement weather center to be activated on nights when hot, cold, or otherwise extreme weather meets designated thresholds. The County is utilizing $50,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds for the center and hopes to provide an additional $250,000, contingent upon receiving additional grant funds through the City of Corvallis, a decision that is currently pending.

“We are grateful to provide this funding opportunity that could help individuals with inadequate shelter from being exposed to potentially life-threatening weather,” said Public Health Preparedness and Response Coordinator, John Pegg.

“With cold weather and winter storms just around the corner, the County is prepared to work quickly to expedite the review process for projects that qualify for funding under this opportunity,” Pegg said.

The County will apply an equity lens when determining placement and establishment of a potential warming center and will award points based on service delivery for diverse populations, trauma-informed care, and client-oriented focus, among other categories.

View the full news release

$1 Million in funding available for emergency shelter & housing

A chalkboard drawing of a family inside a house.

The City of Corvallis is seeking funding proposals to help shelter or house people experiencing houselessness in our community.

Up to $1 million in funding from the Oregon Legislature is available. This opportunity is intended to fund projects that can create emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing, with financial support for accompanying service provisions.

“We are thankful the state provided this one-time funding so service providers can create more safe, warm and dry places for our houseless community members,” said Community Development Director Paul Bilotta. “The City is prepared to work quickly to expedite the review process for projects that qualify for funding under this opportunity.”

View the full news release

The HOPE Advisory Board meets tomorrow

Three pairs of hands hold a cardboard house in their hands.

November and December HOPE Advisory board meetings are being held two weeks earlier than normal, due to the observed holidays. New dates are as follows:

November 9, 2022, 4-6pm

December 14, 2022, 4-6pm

This month’s meeting features a presentation on the Justice System Improvement Project (JSIP): what are the components, why do we need them, and how do the HOPE Recommendations relate?

Guest Speakers:

  • Benton County Commissioner Xan Augerot
  • Benton County Sheriff Jef Van Arsdall
  • Damien Sands, Benton County Behavioral Health Director
  • Nick Kurth, JSIP Project Manager

View the full agenda.

Join us on your computer or mobile app: Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 286 479 023 593

Passcode: 7QXFdu

Or call in (audio only): +1 412-664-5196

Phone Conference ID: 698 575 650#

An aerial view of a bridge over a river next to a town with mountains in the distance on a clear day.

November 8, 2022 in Health NewsHOPE NewsNews

Benton County Partners with Community in Prioritizing Housing Solutions, ROCKit Grant Program Maps the Way

An aerial view of a bridge over a river next to a town with mountains in the distance on a clear day.

Benton County, the City of Corvallis, Community Services Consortium, and key health and social service providers are partnering with the Community ROCKit (Resource Organizer for Communities Kit) program in the development of a coordinated entry system that connects community members to housing and services.

The collaboration comes during a critical time when COVID-19 and economic factors have only deepened an already existing housing crisis. The number of individuals experiencing homelessness in Benton County has increased dramatically (more than 95%) since 2015.

“Solutions to homelessness are a priority for our community, and Benton County is committed to addressing affordability and homelessness by engaging the whole community in assuring safe, healthy, and affordable housing for all community members,” said Benton County Commissioner, Nancy Wyse. “Tackling this project is an important step toward developing local solutions. Working with ROCKit gives us an opportunity to leverage our community’s resources and attributes.”

Benton County has one of the highest rates of income inequality in Oregon. Forty percent of all renters pay more than half of their income on rent; this number rises to 83% of extremely low-income individuals. For every 100 families in Benton County with extremely-low income, only 14 affordable rental units are available.

Benton County’s collaboration with ROCKit will build off the efforts of the Home, Opportunity, Planning, and Equity (HOPE) Board, a joint effort to facilitate a comprehensive, coordinated response to homelessness. The HOPE Board included coordinated entry in its recommendations to the City and County for addressing homelessness. 

An effective coordinated entry process helps Benton County prioritize the most vulnerable people in our community ensuring that people who need assistance the most can receive it in a timely manner. Coordinated entry processes also provide information about service needs and gaps to help communities plan their assistance and identify needed resources.

“We don’t need data to see that homelessness is a problem in our community,” said Dina Eldridge, Housing Services Manager of Community Services Consortium. “We need data to help us solve it. That’s where ROCKit comes in, to help identify how we can implement coordinated entry in order to prioritize better connecting the most vulnerable individuals to housing opportunities,” Eldridge said.

The Community ROCKit model, which focuses on identifying existing assets and amplifying community engagement to solve local issues, will help the City and County in their next steps moving to a coordinated entry process for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. 

With assistance from ROCKit, the agencies will participate in a 90-day process to develop a roadmap for community resource and capacity inventorying, commitment to actionable items, asset mapping, ongoing process measurement, and hands-on help facilitating and implementing the process. 

“ROCKit is all about catalyzing the people, capacities, and assets that communities already have and using them in new ways to address those local challenges,” said Christine Bechtel, co-creator of Community ROCKit. We’re honored to support Benton County in its goal to connect vulnerable individuals to housing opportunities by inspiring participation in an effective coordinated entry process.”  

The grant-funded Community ROCKit program has previously partnered with Umatilla, Tillamook, Morrow, and Gilliam Counties to help these communities identify solutions to local challenges such as childcare affordability, access to mental health services, and emergency housing crisis. 

Community ROCKit is available at no cost to selected communities. Additional free resources about Community ROCKit to help communities take the guesswork out of recovery planning are available at: www.communityrockit.org.

Questions/comments? Email healthdeptcommunications@co.benton.or.us

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Benton County is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring and employment practices. This document is available in alternative formats and languages upon request. Please contact the Public Information Office at 541-766-6800 or pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov.

A person in a suit signing paperwork atop a glass desk.

July 15, 2022 in Health NewsHOPE News

Homeless Response News 7-15-22

Benton County and City of Corvallis awarded $1 million for Coordinated Homelessness Response

A person in a suit signing paperwork atop a glass desk.

Benton County and the City of Corvallis have been jointly awarded $1 million through House Bill 4123 to support a coordinated response to homelessness.

Benton County and the City of Corvallis, along with housing and homeless service providers, have been working together since prior to HB 4123 to lay the groundwork for coordinated homeless response. The two agencies are already meeting many of the requirements set out in the legislation and intentionally pursued the pilot funding to support and grow existing homelessness response operations.

HOPE Advisory Board Policy Recommendations

Benton County and the City of Corvallis formed the HOPE Advisory board to provide policy recommendations for a coordinated homelessness response system.

The board conducted a gap analysis of available services in Benton County, researched successful models for transitioning people out of homelessness, and engaged the community in public feedback to form policy recommendations, accepted by Benton County and the City of Corvallis in June, 2021.

HOPE Recommendations Quick GuideDownload
HOPE Community Progress Report 06-2022Download

Community Progress Report

We are excited to announce the first HOPE Recommendations Community Progress Report!

Our network of City, County, and community partners have been working hard to implement the HOPE Advisory Board Policy Recommendations.

Check out our Community Progress Report to learn more about the work being done on coordinated homelessness response in Benton County.

Foreclosure and Mortgage Assistance available for Oregon homeowners

Oregon Homeowner Help graphic

This month, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), in partnership with state agencies, launched oregonhomeownerhelp.org, a new website and awareness campaign to support struggling homeowners at risk of foreclosure.

Oregon homeowners who have fallen behind, are at risk of missing a mortgage payment, or have received a foreclosure letter from their servicer can do one of two things:

In addition to housing counseling services, the website can also help homeowners avoid falling victim to fraud and connect them with legal assistance. Foreclosure-related scams are expected to increase and homeowners should be on the lookout. The new website and awareness campaign will provide Oregonians with the information they need to stay safe from fraud during this challenging time.

A person in a suit signing paperwork atop a glass desk.

July 15, 2022 in Health NewsHOPE NewsNews

Benton County and City of Corvallis awarded $1 million for Coordinated Homelessness Response

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Benton County and the City of Corvallis have been jointly awarded $1 million through House Bill 4123 to support a coordinated response to homelessness. Benton County and the City of Corvallis, along with housing and homeless service providers, have been working together since prior to HB 4123 to lay the groundwork for coordinated homeless response. The two agencies are already meeting many of the requirements set out in the legislation and intentionally pursued the pilot funding to support and grow existing homelessness response operations.

A person in a suit signing paperwork atop a glass desk.

What will the City and County do with the money?

Benton County and the City of Corvallis plan to use the new funding and guidance from the state to support existing homelessness response operations, pursue technical assistance to build capacity among our homeless provider community, and help with the implementation of a sheltering system. The Benton County coordinated homelessness response network will be using policy recommendations developed by the HOPE Advisory Board as a road map for implementation.

What work is being done now?

Benton County and the City of Corvallis are in the early analysis and planning phase of the bill’s implementation. The City and County are engaging local community partners about building organizational capacity, strengthening the sheltering system, and supporting a coordinated homelessness response. Additionally, the City and County are in communication with other recipients of this award to research best practices, build sustainable models, and ensure an equity-based approach to homelessness response. In the past year, shelter bed capacity in Benton County has increased by about 44%.

What has been done up to this point?

The City and County have been building the foundation for a coordinated homelessness response office as part of a ten-year plan to address issues related to homelessness. Much of this foundation contributes to meeting the requirements set out in HB 4123. This includes:

  • The formation of a joint HOPE Advisory Board with community representation to develop policy recommendations.
  • Twelve HOPE Advisory Board Recommendations to guide strategic planning.
  • Hiring staff to support the establishment of a coordinated homeless response office and serve as point of contact:
    • Project Manager
    • Grant Writer/Researcher
    • Communications Coordinator

What happens next?

October 1, 2022: Memorandum of Understanding among identified member agencies for the implementation of HB 4123 due.

July 1, 2023: Adopt 5-year Strategic Plan identifying ways to support existing work by:

  • Centralizing communication, policy development and overarching coordination for improved efficiency and accountability.
  • Identifying opportunities to leverage existing funding and resources for effective implementation of homeless intervention strategies.
  • Improve existing system(s) to provide more equitable access to residents experiencing homelessness.

As the City and County move out of the early planning and analysis phase, the two agencies plan to release more information in the coming weeks.

For more information:

                                                                                              ###

Benton County is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring and employment practices. This document is available in alternative formats and languages upon request. Please contact Cory Grogan at 541-745-4468 or pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov.

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