New data on homelessness across Central Oregon shows the region is bucking statewide and national trends — and Jefferson County is leading the way, with Madras cutting its homeless count by more than 50 percent in a single year.
The findings come from the annual point-in-time count conducted earlier this year by the Homeless Leadership Coalition and were highlighted this week by NeighborImpact, the regional nonprofit that coordinates housing and food assistance across Central Oregon.
Madras Cuts Homelessness in Half
According to the data, homelessness declined in Madras, Culver, Bend, La Pine, Powell Butte, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters, and Terrebonne compared to the previous year. Among those communities, Madras's more than 50 percent reduction stands out as one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the region.
"That community in the last six to eight years has done more to rally itself together and say, 'What can we do about this and how are we going to take care of our neighbors ourselves?' than I've seen in most of rural Oregon," said Scott Cooper, executive director of NeighborImpact. "Jefferson County service providers have been intentional about this, have been coordinated about this and have seen results."
Region-wide, 402 fewer people were counted without stable housing compared to the prior year.
The Big Picture in Jefferson County
Despite the progress, challenges remain. Jefferson County's data still shows 80 individuals experiencing homelessness in an unsheltered state, compared to just 23 who were sheltered — even though Madras has an active shelter. The gap between sheltered and unsheltered individuals is consistent with what advocates see in rural Oregon, where many people prefer to stay outside rather than use group shelters.
Across Central Oregon, leading self-reported causes of homelessness continue to be economic hardship, personal crises, and eviction. Eighty-four percent of those experiencing homelessness are single adults — a population that faces significant barriers to available housing resources, which tend to prioritize families.
Prevention as a Strategy
Cooper credited not just emergency response, but upstream prevention for the regional improvement. NeighborImpact helped 1,320 people avoid losing their housing in the past year through eviction prevention and utility assistance programs.
"When communities invest upstream — before a missed rent payment becomes an eviction, before a utility shutoff becomes displacement, before a family is forced into crisis — people stay housed," Cooper said.
Recent local actions also contributed: a nearby homeless camp was cleaned up near the Madras shelter, and two new transitional homes opened in the community.
Going Against the Tide
"I think we have a lot to celebrate in Central Oregon," Cooper said. "Our reduction in homelessness, which we experienced in the last year, is running countertrend to what's happening statewide and nationally."
He attributed the regional success to the relatively small size and tight-knit nature of Central Oregon's service community — an environment where cross-sector collaboration is easier to sustain than in larger metro areas.