Governor Tina Kotek announced funding for rural counties to tackle the homelessness crisis in Oregon on Thursday. The funding comes from HB 5019, in response to the governor’s homelessness state of emergency. The goal is to rehouse at least 450 households across the state and add 100 new shelter beds by June 2025. Klamath and Lake counties will receive a combined $1.4 million to find housing for 38 area households. Right now, it’s unclear when the funding will be distributed to each county. In total, Kotek’s office said, there were 29 shelter projects submitted by Local Planning Groups, which are made up of local governments, non-profits, and stakeholders who have lived homeless experience.
