About Our Just Future (formerly known as Human Solutions)

Our Mission & Vision

Our Vision

Community Vision

Our Just Future envisions vibrant, healthy neighborhoods where all people can share in the security, hopes and advantages of a thriving, supportive community.

Organizational Vision

Our Just Future operates as a nimble, financially strong organization driven by our passion, strategic goals and guiding principles.

Our Mission

Our Just Future counters the forces that keep people and communities in poverty by building relationships and assets that create opportunity – today and for future generations. Here’s how:

  • We partner with people and communities impacted by poverty so they can achieve long-term housing and economic security.
  • We invest in affordable housing and community assets that contribute  to strong, inclusive neighborhoods.
  • We advocate with our community for policies and investments that expand housing and economic opportunity, eliminate wealth inequality and end poverty.

East Portland/East Multnomah County, Oregon, is our home and the heart of our investments, advocacy and programs.

Our Guiding Principles, Theory of Change & Commitment to Equity

Human Solutions has been helping homeless and low-income families build pathways out of poverty since 1988. Our 245-mile service area, in outer East Portland and East Multnomah County, includes some of the highest poverty neighborhoods in Multnomah County. We offer services in four interrelated areas:

  • Prevention Services: Last year, we helped over 9,000 households avoid having their utilities shut off and remain warm and safe in their homes by providing utility assistance. We also help over 440 households remain in their homes each year through short-term emergency rent assistance.
  • Direct Services to Homeless Families: We operate emergency shelter, transitional housing, “Housing First” programs, and permanent supportive housing. Acting on the belief that housing is a basic human right, we move homeless families into permanent housing as quickly as possible and then offer them the supportive services necessary to stabilize their situations and overcome their homelessness.
  • Employment and Economic Development Programs: Having a family wage job is essential to a family’s ability to overcome homelessness and be self-sufficient. Human Solutions operates three distinct employment and economic development programs that help 890 individuals with significant barriers to employment find family wage jobs and/or improve their job skills to increase their household incomes each year.
  • Affordable Housing: Human Solutions owns and operates 17 high-quality affordable housing complexes containing 720 apartments. At each property we offer Resident Services, which help families maintain housing by connecting them to quality social, educational and employment services (both within Human Solutions and in the wider community) so they can move forward in their lives.

From Our Community

“Thank you for all you have done to help my family find housing and our lives back on track.”

Thank you for all of your support. I have never had to ask for help before, and your staff were so supportive and understanding.

The staff at Human Solutions helped me when I had nowhere else to go. They put me on a path to a better life.

Human Solutions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in the state of Oregon. Our tax ID # is 93-0977166. All cash donations are tax deductible as charitable contributions, provided that no goods or services are received in exchange.