A massive bi-state effort is underway to change how agencies work together to address the issue of housing people in need. Beginning this month, the new Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative (MCHC) will present to city councils and county commissions as it shares its vision.
Led by Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) and Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP), nearly 40 organizations, local governments, and individuals formed the Collaborative to prevent and end houselessness in the region including Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties in Oregon and Skamania and Klickitat counties in Washington.
The Collaborative recognizes that a lot of localized planning has been done over the years, but through this bigger partnership, it can provide greater support to the community and more impact through coordinated service delivery and advocacy. Kenny LaPoint, executive director for MCCAC, said the bi-state effort “will result in better, coordinated services to the public.”
“The people we serve do not associate their service needs with city, county, or state boundary lines,” LaPoint said. “They just need ease of access to robust services.”
Recognizing the need for coordinated homeless response systems, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 4123 during the 2022 Short Session. To lead the effort locally, MCCAC received a $1 million grant, and LaPoint hired Kelli Horvath as the director for the newly established Office of Housing Stabilization.
Horvath and a local consulting team immediately jumped into the development of a five-year strategic plan, an effort sponsored by Providence Health Systems. The plan is to focus equitable efforts on four main areas: Shelter, services, housing, and advocacy.
“I know members of the Collaborative are ready to roll up their sleeves, take ownership, and do the collective work necessary to accomplish the ambitious goals we’ve set together,” Horvath said.
Building a shared system to coordinate shelter placements and services as winter approaches is essential. For the Collaborative, this also means making sure there is funding and staffing to meet the demand and assist shelter guests in finding housing quickly.
Including the houseless community in decision-making and valuing their culture is another way the Collaborative wants to make a difference. By understanding what tools and services will best help people to avoid being houseless again, the group hopes to improve services. The plan is to enhance assistance that helps houseless community members achieve housing stability through services such as behavioral health care and resource navigation, creating a more robust bi-state system.
A goal for the Collaborative includes preserving existing affordable housing and supporting partners with new construction projects. By 2027 the group plans to support the construction of at least 262 affordable, accessible housing units in the five-county Mid-Columbia region, including Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties in Oregon and Skamania and Klickitat counties in Washington.
Advocating for these projects and services is a pillar of the Collaborative’s strategic plan. “We are going on tour beginning in November,” said Leslie Naramore, WAGAP’s executive director. “This will allow us to meet face-to-face with council members, commissioners, and the public to talk about the strategic plan and how we can all support each other to have a more equitable community.”
The Collaborative will present information at the following meetings:
• Nov. 8, Klickitat County Commission
• Nov. 17, The Dalles City Council
• Nov. 21, Hood River County Commission
• Nov. 28, Hood River City Council
• Nov. 29, Skamania County Commission
• Dec. 7, Wasco County Commission
• Dec. 20, Bingen City Council
All members of the public are welcome to join the Collaborative during any of the presentations. More information about the Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative, including links to its Mission & Vision, and Strategic Plan, can be found online at www.mccac.com/houseless-collaborative.
For anyone experiencing houselessness and looking for assistance, local shelters and housing service providers are available through MCCAC.com in Wasco, Hood River, and Sherman counties in Oregon and through WAGAP.org in Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington.
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