Washington County Declines Portland Mayor's $6M Homeless Funding Request

County leaders say they need to prioritize their own homelessness efforts over assisting Portland.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 10:51pm

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A serene, cinematic painting of an empty park bench on a city street, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of solitude and the complex realities of urban homelessness.As local governments grapple with limited budgets, the decision to decline regional homeless funding highlights the financial challenges facing the Portland metro area.Tualatin Today

The Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously rejected a $6 million request from Portland Mayor Keith Wilson to help fund the city's response to its homelessness crisis. County leaders cited their own budget constraints and the need to focus on homelessness services within Washington County, rather than assisting their neighbor to the east.

Why it matters

The decision highlights the challenges cities and counties face in coordinating and funding regional homelessness efforts, especially as budgets remain tight. It also raises questions about how to best allocate limited resources to address the growing homelessness crisis across the Portland metro area.

The details

In a letter sent to the Washington County Board of Commissioners at the end of March, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson requested $6 million in funding to help address a $15 million shortfall in the city's homelessness response. However, the commissioners unanimously voted down the request, stating that Washington County itself is facing budget constraints and needs to prioritize its own homeless services over assisting Portland.

  • On March 31, 2026, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson sent a letter requesting $6 million in funding from Washington County.
  • On April 7, 2026, the Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously rejected the funding request.

The players

Keith Wilson

The mayor of Portland who requested $6 million in homelessness funding from Washington County.

Kathryn Harrington

The chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners who stated the county does not have excess or surplus funding to provide to Portland.

Pam Treece

A Washington County Commissioner who said the county needs to respect the wishes of its own taxpayers and keep funding within the county.

Jason Snider

A Washington County Commissioner who oversees the district including Tigard, Tualatin and Sherwood, and said he could not support moving money elsewhere when his constituents face unmet needs.

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What they’re saying

“There is no excess funding; there is no surplus funding. The Washington County homeless work itself needs more money. Washington County cities need more money, and that includes for their homeless work that they are spending their general fund and discretionary revenue on.”

— Kathryn Harrington, Washington County Chair

“It's important that we respect our taxpayers here … I feel strongly that we need to respect their wishes and keep the dollars here.”

— Pam Treece, Washington County Commissioner

“There remains unmet needs, at least in my district and other parts of the county.”

— Jason Snider, Washington County Commissioner

What’s next

The Washington County Board of Commissioners will continue to focus on addressing homelessness within their own jurisdiction, using the $70 million in annual funding from the regional Supportive Housing Services program approved by voters in 2020.

The takeaway

This decision highlights the ongoing challenges in coordinating and funding regional homelessness efforts, as local governments struggle to balance their own budgets and service needs against requests for assistance from neighboring jurisdictions also grappling with the homelessness crisis.