Direct cash assistance from the state is helping homeless Oregon youth find housing, according to the results of a pilot program that concluded last year.
In February 2023, the Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program at the Oregon Department of Human Services began providing 120 youth in Multnomah, Clackamas and Deschutes counties ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness with $1,000 monthly until January 2025.
By the end of the two-year period, 94% of participants reported they were housed. Many also reported that they had improved their financial literacy skills, such as learning how to budget and build credit — skills that allowed them to leave unsafe or unstable situations.
The results of the pilot Direct Cash Transfer Plus program are encouraging and a worthwhile investment, said Matthew Rasmussen, program manager for the Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program.
“If somebody is really wanting to explore how to slow and end chronic homelessness among adults, then we need to do something to stop young people from entering it,” Rasmussen said.
Young adults aged 18 to 24 experience the highest poverty rates of any age group, according to research from the University of California, Berkley. In 2024, Oregon had the second highest rate of unsheltered unaccompanied youth in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Based on responses from about half of the program’s participants, 80% of participants became homeless because of a family disruption. Forty-three percent said they had experienced physical abuse by a partner and 71% said they had experienced violence of some kind.
The program prioritized underrepresented populations. That includes young parents, who made up 43% of participants by the end of the period. Forty-six percent of participants also reported they had experience in the foster care and justice system.
More than half of participants were women, while 30% were male and 18% identified as transgender or gender inclusive.
Gabrielle Huffman, a Bend resident, said the program helped her move into a place where she could heal, grow and plan for a sustainable future.
“Just one year after completing (the program), I’m in my own place, halfway through a business degree, focused on building a stable, secure foundation for my daughter and myself, and working toward becoming a nonprofit leader who supports her community.”
To participate, the youth regularly met with case managers. They also had access to a one-time $3,000 enrichment fund during the two years, which helped them pay not just for housing, but for school expenses, car purchases and to build savings.
Oregon is the second of its kind in the nation to implement the direct cash transfer program after New York City. Funded through the Oregon Department of Human Services, the goal of the program is to let youth choose how to spend their money and empower them to make investments in their own well-being.
“Oregon’s results confirm what we saw in New York: When you cover the real cost of shared housing directly for two years — and pair it with support — young people stay housed,” said Larry Cohen, the cofounder and executive director at Point Source Youth, an organization that provided technical assistance to Oregon as it implemented the program. “This isn’t complicated. Stability takes time, and flexible cash gives young people the breathing room to build it.”
The direct cash transfer program is already underway for a second cohort. Payments began in September and have expanded to Jackson County. Funding for the latest round includes $240,000 worth in legislative appropriations and a $1 million grant from nonprofit Oregon Community Foundation.
-- Mia Maldonado, Oregon Capital Chronicle
The Oregon Capital Chronicle, founded in 2021, is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on Oregon state government, politics and policy.