Alignment Between Workforce Development & Housing Systems in Portland, Oregon Patrick Gihring, Worksystems

Portland’s Employment & Housing Context Portland had the fourth fastest job growth among the 50 largest US cities between 2013 – 2016. Middle income employment has declined while low and high income employment has grown. Portland has the third highest rate of participation in SNAP of major cities, following Detroit and Miami.

Portland’s Employment & Housing Context Highest rate of rent increases in the nation in 2016. Between 2015 and 2017 rents increased 20 times faster than area median income. A person making minimum wage needs to work 92 hours per week to afford a two bedroom and not be rent burdened Nearly 1 in 4 tenants are severely rent burdened, dedicating 50% or more of their income to rent.

The Economic Opportunity Program Worksystems manages the Economic Opportunity Program, The City of Portland’s antipoverty employment program The program focusses on career-track training and employment services as a means to economic prosperity and housing stability Services provided in a partnership between community-based organizations and one-stop centers

The Economic Opportunity Program Serves low-income people including residents of public housing, homeless, immigrants, ex-offenders, and others Participants were frequently impacted by eviction and homelessness, affecting their ability to complete training, find a job, and retain a job Worksystems was granted STRA through City and County funds for homeless placements and eviction prevention

EOP Rent Assistance Pilot Project & Evaluation 80 participants served over the course of the 18 month pilot period including 30 homeless placements and 50 eviction preventions Insufficient resources resulted in a natural comparison group (unmet needs list) to study the effects of providing rent assistance Results show much stronger attainment of workforce development goals and housing goals through systems alignment

More EOP rent assistance recipients are people of color than in the homeless population. 60% are persons of color.

Employment & Training Outcomes Successfully Completed Training Attained Career Track Employment Employed at Exit Whenever it was necessary to stop taking referrals due to capacity or fund limitations, we collected data on those EOP participants who expressed a critical need for housing support. This became a natural comparison group. People who were on this list and continued to be eligible for rent assistance were prioritized when the RAC were able to start taking referrals again. There were 46 EOP participants in the comparison group. We compared their progress to the progress of the 80 rent assistance recipients. We found that those who received assistance were 38% more likely to complete vocational training, were 67% more likely to obtain career track employment and were 53% more likely to be employed. Career Track Employment means that at exit from EOP they had obtained employment on track with their ultimate career goals. Participants who received rent assistance were: 38% more likely to complete occupational training 67% more likely to attain career track employment at exit 53% more likely to be employed at exit

Earned Income EOP rent assistance recipients increased their income The rate of increase in earned income for EOP recipients was double the rate of the comparison group. Those who received rent assistance increased their annual incomes by an average of $13,124 compared to $5274 for those with unmet housing needs. EOP rent assistance recipients increased their income by double the rate of the comparison group.

Housing Goals and Outcomes At least 75% of rent assistance recipients remained housed at all retention milestones verified.

Return on Investment On average, participants received 4.5 months of rent assistance with an average monthly payment of $590. Their increase in annual incomes was more than triple the investments in rent assistance.