Our Approach

Roughly half of Portlanders experiencing homelessness are living unsheltered – in tents, on door stoops, under bridges, and in cars. Nearly 70% of these individuals are also enduring chronic homelessness; experiencing long and/or repeated bouts of homelessness and dealing with at least one disabling condition.

Our outreach teams seek to engage people where they are, build trust, and help make connections to needed support services. Staffed by peer support specialists with lived experience of homelessness, these teams work in coordination with sister agencies to prioritize outreach to the most vulnerable populations across Portland – from the downtown core, to the inner eastside, to East County.

In each encounter, our specialists work to establish rapport, assess the specific needs and challenges of those living outside, and refer them to the resources they need to get off the streets, regain stability, and move towards housing.