Housing

A single mother who was forced from her home due to plumbing issues and ended up on the streets. She has never experienced homelessness before this situation and had been sleeping in her car most of the time with some friends allowing her to stay at their places for one or two nights at random. She is working full-time and will be able to pay her rent in the coming months. This single mother received deposit and first month’s rent assistance because she was not able to save up money while being homeless. We were also able to assist her with personal care items and energy assistance as well to help this client receive a fresh start in a new apartment. She was so grateful to have assistance with the deposit and first month’s rent.

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Shelter and Housing Services Process

Our mission is to ensure transparent and accessible processes for individuals seeking shelter or housing services through Clatsop Community Action (CCA). This webpage outlines how clients can access these services and what to expect at each stage.

Overview:

CCA uses Coordinated Entry assessments to prioritize placement into shelter and housing services.
Placements are based on available resources, client vulnerability, and adherence to federal and state standards.

Step 1: Schedule a Housing Navigation Appointment

Schedule a Housing Navigation Appointment
This is the starting point for all shelter and housing services.
At the appointment, the CCA Housing Navigation team will:

Assess the client’s current situation.
Review available resources.
Conduct a Coordinated Entry (CE) assessment if appropriate.

Note: Priority for Coordinated Entry is given to families and individuals who have lived in Clatsop County for at least six months. This policy is intended for:

Efficient use of limited resources.
A focus on supporting the community that funds and relies on these services.

Step 2: Coordinated Entry (CE) Assessment

The CE process is a standardized system for evaluating and prioritizing individuals experiencing homelessness.
It ensures fair access to services by assessing:

Vulnerability.
Urgency of need.

CE often involves collaboration between multiple local agencies and service providers.

Step 3: Processing Assessment Results

CCA reviews CE results and assigns a priority ranking based on federal HUD standards.
This ranking determines placement eligibility for the following programs:

Columbia Inn Shelter Project
Esperanza Village Shelter Project
Other shelter and housing programs administered by CCA or community partners.

Step 4: Placement into Shelter or Housing Services

Clients are added to CCA’s active Coordinated Entry list for placement consideration.
CCA will contact eligible clients when a placement becomes available.

Important:

If a client cannot be reached within a reasonable timeframe, CCA will move on to the next eligible individual on the list.
Clients are encouraged to keep their contact information up-to-date to avoid delays.
A Coordinated Entry assessment remains active for one year.

Shelter and Housing Navigation Appointments

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