Seeking to close a major funding gap, Multnomah County’s top elected leader wants to cut 166 full-time jobs, close more than 600 homeless shelter beds and reduce funds for a county-sponsored afterschool program by more than $1 million.

Chair Jessica Vega Pederson released her proposed budget Thursday morning, saying the “tough choices” will help the county navigate a more than $93 million deficit and prop up social services and public safety programs that serve many county residents.

“These are necessary to produce a sustainable budget, without over-reliance on one-time dollars,” Vega Pederson said in a news release. “The tough tradeoffs underscore my commitment to fiscal integrity, effective governance, and most importantly – direct services.”

The county blames its financial woes on Portland’s ailing downtown real estate market, which continues to provide less property tax revenue to county coffers than leaders had anticipated. At the same time, the federal government has pulled back social safety funding, all while county personnel costs are outpacing revenue, the Thursday morning release said.

Still, the county says the $3.9 billion budget funds government efforts to tackle the region’s top issues: homelessness, addiction and behavioral health.

This drops days before Portland Mayor Keith Wilson will release his proposal to fill the city’s nearly $170 million budget gap, which also threatens to close homeless shelters.

Vega Pederson is not running for reelection.

This story will be updated.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/16/multnomah-county-chair-cutting-homeless-shelter-beds-budget/