Multi Agency Coordination (MAC) Groups
Following the emergency declaration, Oregon Department of Emergency Management (ODEM) and OHCS worked with each Continuum of Care (CoC) region to establish Multi Agency Coordination (MAC) Groups. These groups were critical to ensuring standardized strategies and processes in each region while supporting local coordination and decision-making.
MAC Groups allowed Oregon to respond to this emergency with a data-driven approach, prioritize support to higher-acuity community members, and track outcomes across regions. Members of MAC Groups include, but are not limited to:
- Local jurisdictions (homelessness and emergency management staff)
- Public housing authorities
- Local homelessness agencies
- Rapid rehousing service providers
- Shelter developers/operators
- Landlord associations
- Behavioral health providers
MAC Groups created community plans that outlined their region’s goals for rehousing and creating new shelter beds. Throughout the emergency response, they worked continuously with OHCS and ODEM toward meeting their established goals.
Opt-in counties
County governing bodies from outside of the declared emergency areas were given the opportunity to submit requests to be included in the emergency declaration.
The Governor reviewed and considered requests from Wasco, Clatsop, Linn, Lincoln, and Malheur Counties to determine whether they met the following requirements for inclusion:
- The unsheltered population in 2022 must be greater than 30 households, and
- The community has declared a local state of emergency related to homelessness, and
- At least one of the following is true:
- Unsheltered homelessness increased by 50% or more between 2017-2022;
- The rate of unsheltered homelessness in 2022 was 80% or greater.
On March 31, 2023, Governor Kotek issued EO 23-09, which expanded the homelessness state of emergency declared in Executive Order 23-02 to include Clatsop, Linn and Malheur counties.