Northwest Pilot Project (NWPP) is pleased to announce that we will be a partner in housing low-income seniors in Multnomah County as part of the “Metro 300” project funded by Kaiser Permanente. The project was announced January 20, and will launch in late January/early February 2020.
Kaiser’s total investment of $5.1M in this project will provide broad housing placement and stability support, and rent assistance for 300 vulnerable seniors facing homelessness and housing instability in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties. NWPP will be responsible for housing 100 seniors during calendar year 2020, or one-third of the total project, in Multnomah County. Health Share of Oregon will act as the lead entity for the project.
“Without a safe, stable place to call home, it’s nearly impossible to focus on basic health and medical needs,” said Ruth Williams-Brinkley, president, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of the Northwest. “This is especially true for our seniors, who are often dealing with chronic diseases and other complex health issues. Kaiser Permanente’s mission is to improve the health of the communities we serve, which is why we’re advancing bold ideas to reduce homelessness.”
The “Metro 300” initiative is modeled on Kaiser Permanente’s successful partnership in Oakland, California, that housed 515 seniors during 2019. Health Share will allocate the Kaiser Permanente funding to housing agencies in each county, and the agencies will deploy this flexible resource to quickly house a total of 300 homeless people.
NWPP is thrilled to be part of this innovative and important project and extends its thanks to Kaiser Permanente.