Systemic bottlenecks, case manager turnover and unaffordable housing are trapping people in homelessness in Multnomah County, according to a new Portland State University study released Thursday, Sept. 10.

The two-part Pathways study, funded by Multnomah County's Homeless Services Department, drew on 541 surveys and 29 in-depth interviews with people experiencing homelessness. Researchers at PSU's Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative (HRAC) and the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health conducted the work over roughly 9.5 months, with Street Roots Ambassadors helping carry out the surveys.

"We just don't make enough money to really get into a place," one participant told researchers, as KOIN first reported.

The Part 1 survey, released April 9, found that 98% of participants want permanent housing. Access to affordable housing ranked as the top cause of homelessness, the greatest barrier to finding a home and the thing participants worry about most.

Almost half said they are seeking employment but lack job training, job-search support and legal help.

Participants moved an average of 5.6 times in six to 12 months. At least 40% experienced at least one involuntary displacement, or sweep, during that period.

Of those swept, 48% had been displaced more than 10 times, and 86% reported losing personal belongings including clothes, tents and food. Nearly half lost contact with case workers or missed housing appointments because of a displacement.

The second part, titled "Without a Map," combined those survey results with 29 in-depth interviews. Participants described getting stuck as missing identification documents, case manager turnover and unreturned phone calls stalled their progress.

Some were denied housing because their situation did not fit priority definitions. Others who did find housing said it came from a lucky break, not a reliable system.

More than 30% of participants said the death of a loved one contributed to their housing loss. Many experienced what researchers call "hidden homelessness," couch surfing or sleeping in cars and hotel rooms before ending up on the street.

Women reported domestic or intimate partner violence as a cause of homelessness at a higher rate than men. People with disabilities faced longer stretches of homelessness and more barriers.

Lead investigator Kathleen Conte, an assistant professor in the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, said the findings show that disconnected systems force people in crisis to navigate alone. Lori Kelley, Multnomah County Homeless Services Department planning and evaluation manager, said the research gives policymakers "an honest look at what works, what doesn't and what truly prevents people experiencing homelessness from reaching their housing goals."

The study recommends increasing affordable housing options for all ages, family structures and disability needs. It calls for livable-wage employment to prevent homelessness, better coordination among service agencies and an end to involuntary displacements that disrupt progress. It also urges that people with lived experience help shape policy.

Those recommendations land amid rising numbers. As of May 2026, Multnomah County's by-name list showed 18,248 people experiencing homelessness, up from 17,155 when Portland's camping ban took effect in November 2025, Street Roots reported. County exit data as of May showed 75% of people leaving shelters remained homeless. Only 6% received permanent housing.

Case manager turnover, one of the barriers the Pathways study highlights, has roots in low pay. A 2023 Multnomah County wage study found 30% of employees at contracted homeless services providers had less than one year on the job, and more than half planned to leave within a year. Homeless Services Department Director Daniel Field said in August 2023 that "low wages result in high turnover rates, slowing our progress in delivering housing and homeless services."

The study was guided by a lived-experience advisory group called the TREES Committee, made up of people who have experienced homelessness. No policy hearing or vote on the study's recommendations has been scheduled.