SB 603 Plan to pay homeless $1,000/month for 12 months

This bill establishes People’s Housing Assistance Fund Demonstration Program (Program) within Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide $1,000 monthly for 12 months to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, spending over half of monthly income on rent, or earning 60 percent or less of area median income. Allows payments to be used for rent, emergency expenses, food, child care, or other goods and services of participant’s choosing. Directs Portland State University Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative (PSU) to study costs
and benefits of Program  and report to Legislature. Appropriates $500 million from General Fund for biennium beginning July 1, 2023, for Program and $250,000 for PSU study.

No citizenship or resident requirement.

-1 Amendment changes bill to testing effectiveness of guaranteed income program on well being of intended populations. Increases payment period from 12 months to 24 months and exempts payments from state income tax and from homeless to determination of income eligibility for needs-based state benefits. Allows use of payments at recipient discretion. Modifies eligibility to those who applied and qualified for but are not receiving housing assistance. Caps enrollment based on funding. Reduces appropriation from General Fund to $25 million to cover the program.

This does not address or help the root cause of homelessness or rent burdened people. It promises to make the problem worse. A large percentage of the homeless population have come to this state for its disastrous drug laws and the legislatures continual efforts to decriminalize crime, of every kind.

Oregon has become the Nations attraction for open use of drugs, free “camping”/squatting on public right of ways and public parks, taxpayer funded drug paraphernalia such as needles, free medical care, free food and cash assistance for anyone no matter how able bodied has proven to be an excellent attractant but dismal failures for addressing problems.

This bill does not even provide for a path up that would enable recipient to become a hardworking, taxpaying member of society.