Multnomah County count shows more homelesse sleeping outside

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The latest homelessness count shows more people are sleeping outside in Multnomah County on any given night in 2019 than over the last decade.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports about 20% more people were found living somewhere unfit for human habitation – in places including tents, in cars and under bridges — when the count was done on a single night this past winter, compared to 2017, the last time the federally required count occurred.

The 2,037 people who were found sleeping outside in Oregon’s most populous county is the highest the count has found, and represents some of the area’s most entrenched issues – they are disproportionately people of color, mentally ill or have a substance abuse problem.

The Point in Time count, which was released Thursday, is conducted by the county every two years.