Require Multnomah County to perform an independent audit of homeless services

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The Issue

The Homeless Services Department in Multnomah County plays a crucial role in addressing the homelessness crisis in our community. As taxpayers and concerned citizens, it is our right and responsibility to ensure that this department not only allocates resources efficiently but also achieves measurable success in its programs. We call upon Multnomah County to initiate an immediate, unbiased and independent financial assessment of the Homeless Services Department to account for all expenditures and thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness of its initiatives.

Over recent years, Multnomah County has allocated substantial funds to tackle homelessness, yet the crisis persists with little visible improvement. homelessness in Multnomah County has nearly tripled since 2015, even as homeless services spending grew more than ninefold, from $47 million to $431 million a year. This discrepancy raises significant concerns about the transparency and effectiveness of current spending.

An independent financial assessment can shed light on the deployment of resources, identify areas of inefficiency, and suggest avenues for improvement. It is vital to not just funnel money into programs but to ensure those funds are being utilized to produce tangible results. Evaluating program outcomes will not only validate the efforts of the Department but also guide future policy decisions.

This review should be conducted by an external firm with no prior involvement with the county's homeless services to maintain objectivity. The findings of this assessment should be made publicly available to guarantee transparency and rebuild public trust. By aligning funding with proven strategies and fostering accountability, we can better serve our homeless population and work towards sustainable solutions.

Join us in demanding that Multnomah County takes immediate action to conduct this crucial financial assessment. Sign this petition to hold the Homeless Services Department accountable and ensure that our community's resources are used effectively to combat homelessness. Your support is essential to drive meaningful change and improve the lives of those most in need. Let us work together for a future where everyone has a place to call home. Please sign the petition today.

The Decision Makers

Jennifer McGuirk
Multnomah County Auditor
Responded
I am Jennifer McGuirk, the Multnomah County Auditor, and I am writing in response to the petition titled "Require Multnomah County to perform an independent audit of homeless services.” I am an elected official and was elected on a countywide basis. My staff and I are independent from county management. We work for the public. My office has audited the Joint Office of Homeless Services, now called the Homeless Services Department, consistently since its creation in 2016. In the past four years, we have issued six publications on county homeless services: 1. Waste identified: Hotline tip identified Joint Office’s approval of over $500,000 of unallowable expenses, issued 2022 https://multco.us/info/waste-identified-hotline-tip-identified-joint-offices-approval-over-500000-unallowable 2. Joint Office of Homeless Services: Providers were frustrated with contract management and communication, issued 2023 https://multco.us/info/joint-office-homeless-services-providers-were-frustrated-contract-management-and-communication 3. JOHS: Reporting on supportive housing and rapid rehousing was an accurate reflection of provider data most of the time, but providers would like a more user-friendly data system, issued 2024 https://multco.us/info/johs-reporting-supportive-housing-and-rapid-rehousing-was-accurate-reflection-provider-data 4. Contract monitoring: Consistent countywide approach needed, issued 2024; one of the departments we focused on was the Homeless Services Department https://multco.us/info/contract-monitoring-consistent-countywide-approach-needed 5. Recommendation Status Evaluation: The Joint Office of Homeless Services has implemented one of the 2023 audit recommendations, issued 2025 https://multco.us/info/recommendation-status-evaluation-joint-office-homeless-services-has-implemented-one-2023-audit 6. Request for advocacy to implement Auditor recommendations, issued 2026 https://multco.us/file/memorandum_to_board_of_county_commissioners:_request_for_advocacy_to_implement_auditor_recommendations/download We are currently writing our report on our performance audit of supportive housing services, and that will be issued this calendar year. All of my office’s reports are publicly available on my office’s website. https://multco.us/info/progress-supportive-housing-services-audit
Multnomah County Commission
4 Members
Vince Jones-Dixon
Multnomah County Commission - District 4
Julia Brim-Edwards
Multnomah County Commission - District 3
Shannon Singleton
Multnomah County Commission - District 2
Jessica Pederson
Multnomah County Chair

Supporter Voices

Petition Updates