The recent “Point In Time” (PIT) count, which is a nationwide one-time survey of homelessness required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD, indicates that homelessness is growing significantly faster in rural Oregon than in metropolitan areas. Specifically, rural Oregon saw a 20% increase in homelessness from 2023 to 2024, with unsheltered homelessness rising by 29%, a stark contrast to the relatively steady rates in urban areas.
This discrepancy in homelessness rates between rural and metro areas is partially due to different methods of data collection. While some urban counties chose to only use the 2023 unsheltered count for 2024, most rural counties conducted their own unsheltered count, leading to more accurate and higher numbers.
Advocates in rural areas, such as Karen Rockwell, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Lincoln County, argue that the increase in homelessness is also linked to a lack of infrastructure and funding in rural regions. Despite these areas experiencing high need, they often receive less funding for homelessness services due to the way HUD allocates resources.
In 1994, HUD shifted its funding system from direct allocations to organizations to a “continuum of care” (CoC) model, which groups counties and cities together.
Oregon’s rural continuum of care, which covers 26 counties, has struggled to secure funding through this system, and much of the financial support, particularly emergency funding, has been directed to metro areas, leaving rural counties with insufficient resources.
The 2024 PIT count reflects these ongoing issues, as rural counties see significant increases in homelessness, particularly among unsheltered populations. Rural counties, such as Lincoln County, are facing economic pressures, with rising housing costs and stagnating wages contributing to more individuals and families falling into homelessness.
Additionally, older adults on fixed incomes are increasingly at risk of homelessness, further straining the limited resources in these rural communities.