HomePlate Youth Services – Washington County’s only provider of street outreach and drop-in services for people ages 12-24 experiencing homelessness – is getting folks housed and keeping them housed thanks to Metro’s Supportive Housing Services program. Amid the herculean 3-year effort to build the system, special interests are lobbying to cut the tax rate on the wealthy and lower homeless services resources. The current measure does not expire until 2030; Metro must slow down before pursuing catastrophic reductions. At HomePlate, approximately 75 young families per month get SHS-funded home visit support for navigating educational, employment and life-skills opportunities disrupting cycles of homelessness; it would be ludicrous to expect just three years would undo generations of underinvestment in social systems.

News Source : https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2025/01/readers-respond-dont-rush-watered-down-homeless-services-measure.html