A guide for landlords and property managers renting to tenants with CoC-funded vouchers and rental subsidies in Multnomah County — what each program requires, what protections exist, who to contact, and what to do when problems arise.
📊 HSD Data DashboardCurrent program outcomes, retention rates & system performance →RLRA, HCV/Section 8, and HUD-VASH — rent payments, HAP contracts, HQS inspections, recertifications.
File claims for RLRA risk mitigation (up to $5,000) and the PHB Pool for City-designated PSH properties.
Mental health crisis, substance use, or behavioral wellness — non-police response. Available 8am–10pm.
If a tenant is experiencing DV, do not intervene directly. Call to Safety can advise landlords on safe response and tenant rights.
One platform housing case managers use to find available units. Free to list. Property partners receive additional protections: up to $5,000 damage mitigation, 3-month rent guarantee, vacancy loss, and mediation support — see Risk Mitigation ↓.
Source-of-income discrimination (refusing voucher holders) is prohibited under Oregon law — ORS 659A.421.
State civil rights enforcement. Handles source-of-income, disability, race, familial status complaints.
Free landlord education, fair housing training, Oregon-specific guidance. Good first call before a complaint is filed.
Guidance on disability-related accommodation requests — common with PSH and voucher tenants.
Legal guidance, lease review, and Oregon landlord-tenant law resources.
A case manager from an HSD-contracted nonprofit (Transition Projects, JOIN, NAYA, IRCO, Urban League, and 40+ others) contacts you on behalf of a client — or the prospective tenant contacts you directly. They will confirm the subsidy type (RLRA, HCV, RRH, or another program), the household size, and when the client needs to move.
RRH is short-term assistance managed by the provider agency — it does not involve Home Forward or a HAP contract. For RLRA or HCV placements, you will work with Home Forward.
You may apply your standard screening criteria consistently. Oregon law prohibits refusing to rent solely because of a tenant's housing subsidy source (ORS 659A.421). You may still evaluate rental history, references, and conduct.
For RLRA/HCV: you submit an RFTA to Home Forward, which triggers a rent reasonableness review, affordability check, and an HQS inspection — unless the unit is in a LIHTC building. Units must be rent-ready at inspection with utilities on. Most inspections are scheduled within 1–2 weeks.
For RRH and other provider-managed programs (HOPE, NowHome): the nonprofit agency handles the rental agreement directly — no RFTA, no HQS inspection through Home Forward, and no HAP contract.
You sign a lease directly with the tenant — same as any other tenancy.
For RLRA/HCV: you also sign the HAP contract with Home Forward. This determines both the tenant and subsidy portions of the rent. The subsidy is paid separately from the tenant's portion. Initial HAP payments are typically issued within a couple of weeks after the contract is executed.
For agency-managed programs, the agency may co-sign or guarantee the lease depending on program terms.
Support at move-in varies by program and provider. Some households have a service provider assisting with the move; others only receive support through the rent subsidy.
Home Forward does not provide security deposit assistance, though some service providers may help depending on the program. Some participants may receive a monthly utility reimbursement from Home Forward based on eligibility.
For RLRA/HCV: rent increases must be approved by Home Forward and require 90-day notice to tenants. Send copies of notices (nonpayment, lease violations, vacates) to Home Forward. Home Forward does not enforce lease terms but must be informed of tenancy actions.
For RRH: the agency handles rent adjustments per your agreement. Communicate tenancy issues to the case manager first.
For RLRA/HCV: give written notice to both the tenant and Home Forward. The HAP contract ends when the tenant vacates — not necessarily when the lease term ends.
RMP claims can be filed during or after a tenancy after any qualifying event (damage, unpaid rent, or other covered losses), not only at move-out. Document unit condition with photos. Submit claims to HDC within the required window.
| Program | Subsidy Length | Funding Source | Administered By | Target Population | Risk Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rapid Rehousing (RRH) Short-term bridge |
3–6 mo. rent; up to 24 mo. services | HUD CoC + SHS | 40+ HSD contractors | Adults, families, and youth experiencing homelessness; lower barrier to entry than PSH | Varies by provider |
RLRA — Regional Long-Term Rental Assistance SHS-funded; locally designed |
Ongoing (as long as eligible) | Metro SHS Measure | Home Forward | Very low income; experiencing homelessness; referred through Coordinated Access | ✓ HDC-administered |
LRA — Local Rental Assistance Locally-funded; similar structure to RLRA |
Ongoing (as long as eligible) | Local government funds | Home Forward | Very low income; experiencing homelessness; referred through Coordinated Access | ✓ HDC-administered |
HCV / Section 8 Federal; waitlist currently closed |
Indefinite (while eligible) | HUD (federal) | Home Forward | ≤50% AMI; experiencing homelessness or housing instability; income-qualified; waitlist currently closed | ✓ State Landlord Guarantee |
PSH — Permanent Supportive Housing Paired with ongoing services |
Indefinite (while eligible) | HUD CoC + SHS | HSD contractors + Home Forward | Experiencing chronic homelessness with a disabling condition (serious mental illness, substance use disorder, or physical disability) | ✓ PHB Pool + OHCS |
LTRA / OLTRA — Oregon Long-Term Rental Assistance State-administered; OHCS-funded |
Long-term (program-specific) | Oregon state general funds | OHCS / local sub-grantees | Low-income households experiencing homelessness at enrollment; referred through OHCS sub-grantees | ✓ Risk Mitigation Funds |
Shelter Plus Care HUD grant-funded; disability-specific |
Indefinite (while eligible) | HUD CoC grants | Home Forward | Experiencing chronic homelessness with a qualifying disabling condition | ✓ Home Forward (email) |
HOPE Locally funded (County/SHS); agency-managed |
Indefinite while eligible | Multnomah County | Provider agency | Experiencing chronic homelessness with a disabling condition; includes people moving from institutional settings; PSH-eligible | ✓ HDC RMP |
NowHome HUD CoC-funded; agency-managed |
Indefinite (while eligible) | HUD CoC grants | Provider agency | Experiencing chronic homelessness with a qualifying disabling condition; same population as PSH and Shelter Plus Care | Confirm with agency |
Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Subsidy tied to unit, not tenant |
Indefinite (unit-tied) | HUD (federal) | Home Forward | Experiencing homelessness; income-qualified; same population as HCV — subsidy is tied to the unit rather than the tenant | ✓ State Landlord Guarantee |
Short-term rental assistance — not a voucher. Rental assistance is typically 3–6 months; supportive services may be available for up to 12 months depending on provider and funding source. By design, RRH is time-limited with the explicit goal of the tenant resuming rent independently after the subsidy ends. Duration varies by provider and funding source.
Rent assistance is paid directly to you by the HSD-contracted nonprofit — no HAP contract with Home Forward, no HQS inspection process. Assistance may cover the full rent or only a portion, depending on the household's income and the provider's program model. Many nonprofits will provide a promissory letter when committing to assistance — not a required step, but common and useful to request. Confirm the payment structure before signing the lease. Each agency manages its own rental agreement terms. Not all providers maintain ongoing case management after move-in — confirm with the specific agency what support remains in place.
How RRH placements reach you:
Note: ORI and OLTRA are sometimes described alongside RRH but are distinct — they are state-funded, renewable subsidy programs that function more like long-term vouchers. See the State Programs section below.
Funded by the Metro SHS Measure and administered by Home Forward, RLRA is Multnomah County's primary locally-designed long-term rent assistance vehicle. Referred through Coordinated Access, RLRA allows households to pay approximately 30% of income toward rent — Home Forward pays the remainder at fair market rate.
86% of Multnomah County RLRA households have remained stably housed. Since launch in July 2021, the program has housed nearly 1,000 households and 1,400+ individuals in Multnomah County.
Long-term housing for people with chronic homelessness and disabilities. Indefinite while eligible — no built-in end date. Always paired with ongoing wraparound services; the landlord is not responsible for delivering those services. 90% of PSH tenants remain stably housed after one year.
The subsidy vehicle varies — confirm which type your tenant has at placement:
Alternative PSH referral pathways — beyond standard Coordinated Access: ACT/ICM, IDD, ADVSD, DCJ (Multnomah County-operated programs for specific populations); FUSE (data-sharing list for people cycling through jail, hospital, and shelter — prioritizes the highest utilizers); Move On (PSH participants who no longer need intensive case management but still require rental assistance — creates openings for new PSH participants).
A distinct middle tier between RRH and PSH. These are Oregon state-funded programs with renewable subsidy funding — not time-limited by design like RRH, and not indefinite like PSH. Funding continues as long as the state legislature approves and the tenant remains eligible. From a landlord perspective they function like long-term vouchers: ongoing subsidy, tenant pays a portion of income, no built-in exit date.
ORI: State-funded rental assistance requiring HUD definition of homelessness at enrollment. Administered through OHCS-contracted providers. Multnomah County providers: Janus Youth Programs, El Programa Hispano Católico, Path Home, Bienestar de la Familia. Culturally specific providers including Urban League, IRCO, and Oregon Worker's Rights Coalition also administer in-house ORI programs.
LTRA / OLTRA: OHCS-administered through local sub-grantees. Rent may not exceed 120% of FMR at lease-up; annual HQS inspections required. OLTRA referrals come through Housing Multnomah Now. Providers: Cultivate Initiatives, JOIN, Do Good Multnomah, 4D Recovery, NARA NW, Sunstone Way. Sub-grantee is your primary contact — not Home Forward.
| Stage | RLRA / HCV | RRH | PSH | LTRA / OLTRA | HUD-VASH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit approval | RFTA submitted to Home Forward → rent reasonableness review → HQS inspection → HAP contract executed. Exception: LIHTC properties skip HQS. | No RFTA. No HQS inspection. No Home Forward involvement. You agree terms directly with the agency. Process varies by provider. | Depends on the subsidy type. RLRA/HCV/PBV-funded PSH: standard Home Forward RFTA + HQS process. HUD-funded NowHome and locally funded HOPE: each agency uses its own rental agreement documents — not the Home Forward RFTA — and manages the approval process directly. No HAP contract in either case. | Annual HQS inspections required. Rent cap: 120% of FMR at lease-up. Sub-grantee manages the process — not Home Forward. | Same as HCV: RFTA → HQS inspection → HAP contract with Home Forward. VA enrollment required before any unit approval begins. |
| Who pays you & how | Home Forward pays the subsidy portion directly via HAP contract. Tenant pays their share (approx. 30% of income) separately. Two separate payment sources. | The contracted nonprofit pays you directly — no Home Forward involvement. Assistance may be full rent or partial, depending on the household's income and the provider's program model. Many nonprofits provide a promissory letter when committing to assistance — not a required step, but common. Confirm the payment structure with the case manager before signing the lease. | Varies by subsidy type. RLRA/HCV-funded PSH: Home Forward via HAP (same split as RLRA). Agency-direct (HOPE, NowHome): agency pays in full — no HAP contract. | Sub-grantee pays you directly, similar to RRH. Home Forward is a secondary contact. Keep Home Forward in the loop on lease changes and renewals. | Home Forward pays subsidy via HAP contract. Tenant pays their share separately. VA case management is separate — VA does not pay rent. |
| Rent increases | 90-day notice required to both tenant and Home Forward. Home Forward must approve and conduct a new rent reasonableness review. No increase can exceed FMR. | Per your rental agreement with the agency. Varies by provider. Typically locked for the subsidy period. Contact the agency before proposing any increase. | RLRA/HCV-funded PSH: same 90-day notice + Home Forward approval. Agency-direct: negotiate with the provider agency. | Notify both sub-grantee and Home Forward. Subject to annual HQS re-inspection and FMR cap (120%). Changes require sub-grantee agreement. | Same 90-day notice + Home Forward approval as HCV. VA does not have a separate approval role in rent changes. |
| Annual recertification | Home Forward conducts annual income recertification and unit re-inspection. Tenant share of rent may adjust. You receive updated HAP contract terms. | No formal recertification — subsidy is time-limited, not income-adjusted. No annual inspection required through Home Forward. | RLRA/HCV-funded PSH: annual income recertification and HQS re-inspection through Home Forward. Agency-direct: agency manages any eligibility review. | Annual HQS inspection required (mandatory). Sub-grantee manages eligibility review. Home Forward receives notification of outcomes. | Annual income recertification and HQS re-inspection through Home Forward. VA independently reviews veteran's continued eligibility and case management needs. |
| Lease violations & notices | Send copies of all formal notices (non-payment, cure-or-quit, vacate) to Home Forward simultaneously. Home Forward does not enforce lease terms but must be informed and can issue a tenancy warning. | Contact the case manager first. No formal notice copy obligation to a third party — though notifying the provider agency is strongly recommended before escalating to legal action. | Contact the case manager first. RLRA/HCV-funded PSH: copy notices to Home Forward same as RLRA. Case managers are expected to respond assertively when tenancy is at risk. | Notify sub-grantee and keep Home Forward in the loop. Sub-grantee is the primary operational contact for tenancy issues. | Send copies of notices to Home Forward. VA case manager should also be notified — VA has a housing retention function and may intervene independently. |
| When subsidy ends | No built-in end date. Subsidy continues as long as the tenant is income-eligible and the program is funded. If ended, Home Forward notifies you and the HAP contract is terminated. Tenant becomes solely responsible for rent — or must vacate if they cannot pay. | End date is set at enrollment (typically 3–6 months of rental assistance; services up to 24 months). Agency notifies you before the final payment. Tenant is expected to assume rent independently. Lease remains — tenant is still your tenant. | Indefinite while eligible. If a tenant moves (tenant-based), the voucher moves with them — the HAP contract on your unit terminates. Tenant-based: give notice to Home Forward. Project-based: voucher stays with unit and transfers to next tenant. | Renewable, not time-limited by design — but contingent on continued state appropriation. If the program loses funding, sub-grantee will notify you. Tenant may be transitioned to another subsidy or must assume rent independently. | No built-in end date. Ends if veteran loses VA eligibility or voluntarily exits. Home Forward terminates HAP contract. Veteran may be re-enrolled in a different housing program. |
| Risk mitigation & move-out | HDC Risk Mitigation Program — up to $5,000 for damage or unpaid rent. Claims can be filed during or after tenancy. HAP contract ends when tenant vacates (not when lease term ends). File within the required claims window. | No HDC RMP access. Risk mitigation protections vary by provider — some agencies offer their own damage coverage. Confirm with the specific agency at lease-up what protections apply. | RLRA/HCV-funded PSH: HDC RMP applies (up to $5,000). PHB-designated PSH: PHB Risk Mitigation Pool. HOPE: HDC RMP applies — Home Forward-managed. NowHome: confirm with agency. | OHCS Risk Mitigation Program may apply — ask sub-grantee at lease-up. Coverage varies by program year and funding availability. Sub-grantee is the primary contact for claims. | State Housing Choice Landlord Guarantee applies (up to $20,000, within 1 year of vacancy). Administered by OHCS. HAP contract ends when veteran vacates. |
| You (Landlord) | Case Manager | HSD / Home Forward |
|---|---|---|
| Maintain the unit. Address repairs. Communicate lease violations in writing. Contact the case manager before escalating. | Respond to your outreach. Help tenant resolve issues. Attend mediations. Can sometimes arrange rental assistance for arrears. | HSD: contract oversight and policy. Home Forward: HAP contract, rent payments, inspections. Neither handles day-to-day tenancy issues directly. |
Covers eligible excess losses for landlords with RLRA-assisted units — both tenant-based and project-based vouchers. Claims can be filed during or after a tenancy, not only at move-out. Document the unit at move-in and photograph damage as it occurs.
Covers damage and operational losses for PSH units in properties formally designated by the Portland Housing Bureau — typically affordable housing developments that received PHB capital funding or operate under a City regulatory agreement. If you are eligible, PHB will have notified you. Private-market landlords with standard RLRA or HCV tenants are not eligible — the RLRA RMP applies to them instead.
Separate from HDC's programs. Home Forward can reimburse Shelter Plus Care landlords for damage and unexpected vacancies. To initiate a damage claim, contact the Rent Assistance Specialist (RAS) on the Shelter Plus Care team — they will advise on next steps.
State program for landlords renting to HCV (Section 8) tenants or tenants in qualifying rehousing initiatives. Covers losses above the security deposit. First-come, first-served; limited funding — file promptly after vacancy.
Landlords who list units on Housing Connector receive a financial protection package regardless of subsidy type — available to any market-rate housing provider, not tied to a specific voucher program. Stackable with any RMP program above. Housing Connector also provides in-house stability specialists and direct mediation support for two years of tenancy, reducing the burden on landlords to self-navigate issues.
Portland-based nonprofit (founded 1993). Administers both the RLRA Risk Mitigation Program (for all three Metro counties) and the PHB Risk Mitigation Pool (for City of Portland PSH). Phone: 971-386-5593 x128
Mandates the CoC program structure, Coordinated Entry, HMIS, and performance standards under the HEARTH Act. Issues annual NOFOs for CoC competitive grants. Multnomah is in HUD Region X.
Funds and operates HUD-VASH, pairing a HUD Housing Choice Voucher with VA case management. HUD-VASH vouchers administered locally by Home Forward; case management by the Portland VA Medical Center.
Oregon's state housing finance agency. Allocates LIHTC, administers LTRA/OLTRA rent assistance, operates the Oregon Rent Guarantee Program, passes through federal HOME and ESG funds to local jurisdictions.
Administers Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid), SNAP, TANF, and Self-Sufficiency Programs — all intersect heavily with homeless services. Case managers regularly connect clients to DHS benefit enrollment.
Elected regional government for the Portland metro area. Collects and distributes the SHS personal income tax across Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. Convenes the Tri-County Planning Body to coordinate regional strategy. Does not operate services directly.
Multnomah County's designated CoC Lead for OR-501. Acts as Collaborative Applicant to HUD, manages contracts with 40+ providers, administers the SHS Measure, runs Coordinated Access, and oversees system data. HSD coordinates — it does not provide direct services.
Multnomah County's public housing authority (PHA). Administers Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8), HUD-VASH vouchers for veterans, and the RLRA program funded by Metro SHS. The primary voucher-based subsidy administrator for OR-501. HCV waitlist currently closed.
Funds City-operated shelters, Safe Rest Villages, and navigation centers. Administers the PHB Risk Mitigation Pool (945 PSH units at 62 designated properties). Allocates federal CDBG and HOME funds.
Non-police, non-fire alternative response for non-emergency calls involving people experiencing homelessness, behavioral health crises, and welfare checks. Teams connect people to shelter, services, and Coordinated Access.
These organizations operate the hotlines, information routing, and financial claims systems that the CoC depends on — the connective tissue between a person in crisis and the rest of the system.
One of the largest CHAT partners and host of the adult CA pre-screening tool. Operates emergency shelters, transitional housing, and PSH sites — one of Oregon's largest direct-service providers.
Operates the BIPOC CHAT Line — culturally specific CA entry point for BIPOC adults, with assessment staff trained in culturally responsive approaches. Routes into the same Priority Pool as the general CHAT line.
Oregon's statewide health and social services information and referral network. Available 24/7 by phone (dial 2-1-1). Primary access point for family shelter referrals. Maintains real-time database of service availability. Language interpreters available.
Portland-based nonprofit (founded 1993). Administers the RLRA Risk Mitigation Program (across all three Metro counties) and the PHB Risk Mitigation Pool (945 PSH units at 62 City-designated Portland properties). Processes landlord claims for covered losses.
The evidence base for Housing First is substantial and consistent across countries and populations. Housing stability itself is the precondition for addressing everything else — health, sobriety, employment, relationships. The instability of homelessness makes treatment and recovery significantly harder to sustain.
Housing is offered without preconditions around sobriety, treatment participation, or service compliance. This is not permissiveness — it is the evidence-based approach. Decades of research, including large randomized controlled trials, demonstrate that people address behavioral health and substance use challenges more effectively once they have stable housing than when those conditions are required before housing is offered.
All HSD-funded programs are contractually required to operate this way. You will sometimes house tenants still actively working through significant challenges — that is the design, not an oversight or a failure of screening.
No sobriety requirements. Open to people with prior evictions or criminal records (within legal limits). Accessible regardless of immigration status in most programs. No requirement to participate in treatment or accept services as a condition of housing.
This is intentional. People with the highest barriers — criminal records, active substance use, long histories of chronic homelessness — are precisely those least likely to access or maintain housing without this approach. Conditional models tend to sort out exactly the people who need the most support.
In practice, providers have varying target populations and service models — not every program serves every person. Many programs across the system are very low-barrier, but eligibility criteria, cultural focus, population specialty, and service intensity differ by provider. The low-barrier principle reflects the system's design intent; individual programs may still have eligibility requirements specific to their funding or population mandate.
When a tenant stops responding to their case manager — stops returning calls, avoids home visits, declines services — the program response is assertive engagement: persistent, patient outreach to re-establish contact and trust, rather than closing the case or reducing support.
In practice, this means a case manager may knock on the door of your unit, leave notes, coordinate with other providers, or reach out to the tenant's emergency contacts. This is normal and expected. The subsidy is not terminated because the tenant is hard to reach. As a landlord, if you observe a tenant you're concerned about but can't locate their case manager, contact the provider agency directly — they want to know.
Case managers support tenants in setting their own goals — housing, employment, health, relationships — rather than imposing a standardized path. Tenants can accept or decline individual services without consequence to their housing. This includes declining mental health treatment, substance use counseling, or other supports that may seem obviously beneficial to an outside observer.
As a landlord, this means you may encounter a tenant who appears to have an active support network but is not engaging with it. That is the tenant's right. The case manager's job is to keep the door open, not force it.
HSD contracts with providers that deliver services in the cultural and linguistic context of the populations they serve. In FY 2024, $17.6M was distributed to culturally specific providers — a 91% increase over the prior year. Contracted organizations include: NAYA Family Center, NARA Northwest, IRCO, El Programa Hispano Católico, Urban League of Portland, Latino Network, Self Enhancement Inc., Somali Empowerment Circle, African Community Development Center, Black Community of PDX, and Pacific Refugee Support Group. Culturally specific providers can also conduct MSST assessments directly without routing through the general CHAT line.
Your lease is directly with the tenant. The program's case manager is a support resource, not a property manager or guarantor of behavior. If a tenant violates lease terms, the case manager can help mediate and intervene — but the legal lease relationship, notice requirements, and eviction process are entirely between you and the tenant under Oregon law. The subsidy does not change that.
What the program does provide: a faster path to resolution than going it alone, because a skilled case manager can often address the underlying issue before it escalates to formal action.
Housing is never contingent on service participation. A tenant can disengage from their case manager without losing their housing. Your lease is with the tenant; the program supports, it does not enforce.
Depends on the subsidy: RLRA, HCV, or Project-Based Voucher via Home Forward HAP contract; or agency-direct (HOPE, NowHome) with no Home Forward contract.
Always included — ongoing, indefinite. Long-term case management is a defining feature of PSH.
Case manager uses assertive outreach. Subsidy is not terminated for non-participation.
Indefinite while eligible and the program is funded.
The contracted nonprofit agency directly — no HAP contract, no Home Forward involvement.
Active during the subsidy period. Not all RRH providers maintain ongoing case management after move-in — confirm with the specific agency.
Agency works to re-engage. Rent assistance continues while they do. The lease remains intact.
Rental assistance typically 3–6 months; supportive services available up to 24 months. Plan for the tenant to assume rent independently.
If unsure which program type your tenant is in, ask their case manager or contact Home Forward Landlord Services at 503-802-8333 opt. 5.
Issues the annual Notice of Funding Opportunities for CoC grants. Sets requirements for Housing First, HMIS, coordinated entry, performance standards, and fair housing compliance. CoC programs that don't meet HUD standards risk losing federal funding.
Voter-approved 2020 measure funding the SHS tax across Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. Funded the creation of RLRA and significantly scaled provider contracts. The measure sunsets in 2030 — renewal by voters required to continue the programs it funds.
A federally required community board representing service providers, government, and people with lived experience of homelessness. Approves funding priorities, oversees the HMIS lead, and responds to HUD funding opportunities.
Multnomah County's designated CoC Lead. Manages contracts with 40+ providers, administers SHS Measure, runs coordinated access, and establishes program standards including Housing First requirements.
Quick definitions for the terms and acronyms that appear on paperwork, in case manager calls, and throughout this guide. Grouped by context.
A selection of organizations contracted with the Multnomah County Homeless Services Department — the agencies whose case managers most commonly place tenants, manage subsidies, and provide ongoing support. This is not a comprehensive list; HSD contracts with 60+ providers. Source: hsd.multco.us/our-partners