Volusia Sheriff's Office / Wikimedia Commons
Why It Matters
Central Oregon’s homeless population fell by nearly 20 percent in 2026, a reversal that breaks years of steady increases across the state. The decline—driven largely by emergency housing initiatives and shelter expansion—offers a case study in what targeted resources can accomplish in a region where home prices have soared well above the state median.
What Happened
A point-in-time count conducted in late January across Jefferson, Crook, and Deschutes counties found approximately 1,700 individuals experiencing homelessness, down from roughly 2,100 the previous year. The survey included the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation and captured people sleeping on streets or in shelters during the night of January 26.
Deschutes County, the region’s largest jurisdiction, saw its homeless population decline from 1,040 individuals in 2025 to 864 in 2026—a drop of about 176 people. Nearly 300 individuals across the three-county area were successfully rehoused between the two counting periods.
The improvement follows aggressive state action on homelessness. Governor Kotek declared a state of emergency on her first day in office, a designation she extended twice, with the most recent renewal in January authorizing $20 million in legislative funds directed toward permanent supportive housing and expanded behavioral health services.
How the State Responded
The emergency declarations catalyzed substantial infrastructure growth statewide. Oregon added nearly 6,300 shelter beds and rehoused 5,500 people from unsheltered conditions. An estimated 26,000 households received homelessness prevention assistance—rental aid and other support designed to keep people housed before they reach the street.
Bend, the region’s population center, exemplifies the shift. The city had minimal overnight shelter capacity in 2021. By 2026, it operates more than 500 shelter beds, a transformation that directly contributed to the area’s improvement.
By the Numbers
- 19.1 percent: Decline in central Oregon homelessness from 2025 to 2026
- $675,000: Median home price in Deschutes County, compared to roughly $525,000 statewide
- 84 percent: Share of homeless households comprised of single adults
- 50 percent: Proportion of surveyed homeless individuals who report living in central Oregon for over a decade
- 5,500: People rehoused statewide through emergency initiatives
Regional Context
Central Oregon’s progress stands in stark contrast to the broader state picture. Oregon as a whole experienced an 18.9 percent increase in homelessness between 2024 and 2025, with more than 27,200 people homeless on a single night in January 2025—roughly 4,600 more than the prior year.
The region’s success reflects both targeted intervention and underlying economic pressures. More than three-quarters of surveyed homeless individuals have lived in central Oregon for at least three years, indicating that homelessness in the area largely affects long-term residents rather than recent arrivals. Single adults make up the bulk of the population (84 percent), followed by families (7 percent) and unaccompanied youth (5 percent).
Housing costs remain a critical factor. With a median home price in Deschutes County running $150,000 above the state average, rental affordability has become increasingly strained, pushing many on the economic margin toward homelessness despite employment or prior ties to the community. Oregon’s minimum wage increase, which took effect July 1, may provide modest relief for low-wage workers, though housing inflation often outpaces wage gains.
What’s Next
State officials have indicated that the emergency declarations and funding commitments will continue, though the long-term sustainability of the shelter expansion and housing initiatives depends on future legislative appropriations. The Bend shelter system and similar facilities across the region will require ongoing operational funding to maintain capacity and services.
Advocates and officials have emphasized that homelessness solutions require sustained, multifaceted approaches. Housing expansion, behavioral health services, and homelessness prevention programs each contributed to central Oregon’s improvement—a lesson likely to shape state policy decisions in coming years.
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