From KCBY:

While millions of dollars are being invested to increase shelter capacity in metro areas of Oregon, shelters in the state’s rural counties are seeing major budget cuts to pandemic-era funding, prompting some to close their doors.

With historic momentum, just one month into the legislative session, Oregon’s Legislature passed a $200 Million funding package to support the goals Kotek laid out in her emergency order. Only a fraction of that, $6 million to be exact, is slated to support existing shelter operations across 23 rural counties.

“The governor has been involved with this (homeless crisis) for a long time, she understands a lot of what these housing issues are. She is very focused and very cognizant of what’s happening in the metro areas but I feel the rural areas are getting short shrift,” said Pegge McGuire, Executive Director of Community Services Consortium. Her agency disburses funds and coordinates homeless services through partnerships with multiple jurisdictions and nonprofits in Lincoln, Benton, and Linn Counties.

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