A Portland-Area County Spent Millions on Race-Based Housing Programs. Outcomes for Homeless Minorities Got Worse.
Multnomah County, Oregon, allocated $17.6 million to race-based housing programs in 2024, but outcomes for homeless minorities worsened. Despite a significant increase in funding and equity-focused training, over 80% of programs reported no improvement in diversity among their clientele. The county's officials emphasized 'lived experience' over measurable outcomes, leading to concerns about the effectiveness of their equity initiatives.
- ▪Multnomah County spent $17.6 million on culturally specific service providers in 2024, a 91% increase from the previous year.
- ▪More than 80% of the department's programs reported a decline or no change in the diversity of their clientele.
- ▪County officials argued that qualitative data was as important as quantitative data, despite concerns from the budget advisory committee.
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Democrats A Portland-Area County Spent Millions on Race-Based Housing Programs. Outcomes for Homeless Minorities Got Worse. Multnomah County dismissed data showing that the programs were reaching fewer people of color, arguing that 'lived experience' mattered as much as measurable outcomes (LinkedIn/Multnomah County) Aaron Sibarium June 5, 2026 image/svg+xml .st0{fill:none;stroke:#384f61;stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} .st1{fill:none;stroke:#384f61;stroke-width:2;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:10;} In early 2025, as Multnomah County, Ore., prepared to finalize its budget for the next financial year, the county’s homeless services department received some troubling data.
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