Expert: Visuals of Portland houseless crisis exacerbated by lack of resources downtown Kim James with Cascadia Behavioral Health says some homeless individuals may be pitching several tents as the pandemic cut down on daytime services. Author: Maggie Vespa Updated: 10:44 AM PDT May 28, 2021 PORTLAND, Ore. — It's no secret Portland's housing crisis was worsened by the pandemic, but it remains unknown just how much the region's homeless population has grown in the last year. Economists estimate a 40-45% rise in homelessness during the pandemic, but we can't be sure yet how much that number has grown. Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare (CBH) has deployed outreach teams to help people on the streets find basic services and housing.