Transition Projects
Transition Projects#
Transition Projects is a nonprofit homeless services provider based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1969 as Burnside Projects by Reverend Gilbert N. Lulay and a consortium of 13 churches, the organization was incorporated in 1970 and later renamed to Transition Projects.1 Its mission is to assist people in transitioning from homelessness to housing.
The organization operates 14 sites across the Portland metro area, employing over 350 staff and serving approximately 9,000 to 10,000 people experiencing homelessness annually.2 Transition Projects places 600 to 1,000 people into permanent housing each year. Its programs include emergency shelters, short-term residential housing, veteran services, and the Rent Well tenant education program.
Policy Positions#
- Local control of shelter services: Strongly favors locally administered shelter programs over statewide mandates, arguing that local solutions are best suited to community-specific needs.3
- Tenant screening reform: Supports reducing barriers for low-income renters, including reforms to tenant screening timelines and increased penalties for landlord non-compliance.4
- Rent Guarantee Program: Advocates for expanding and improving the Oregon Housing and Community Services Rent Guarantee Program, which provides landlords up to $5,000 in coverage when renting to Rent Well graduates.5
- 24/7 shelter model: Prefers full-time shelters where residents can access services and work toward housing, over nighttime-only shelter models.6
Key Legislative Involvement#
- HB 3644 (2025): Testified in opposition to a statewide shelter program, arguing it would create unnecessary bureaucracy and that local jurisdictions should use existing best practices to develop their own plans.3
- HB 2680 (2023): Testified in support of tenant screening reform through the Rent Well program, advocating for a 14-day landlord response timeline and increased non-compliance fees.4
- HB 2101 (2021): Testified in support of changing the Rent Guarantee Program’s $5,000 coverage limit from per-landlord to per-tenant, a change central to Rent Well’s landlord recruitment efforts.5
-
HB 3644 Testimony - Julie Cusumano, Transition Projects ↩︎ ↩︎
-
HB 2680 Testimony - Caitlyn Kennedy Young, Transition Projects and Rent Well ↩︎ ↩︎
-
HB 2101 Testimony - Caitlyn Kennedy Young, Rent Well and Transition Projects ↩︎ ↩︎
-
Longtime Portland shelter providers question Mayor Wilson’s plan for 1,500 new beds - OPB ↩︎
News Coverage
| Article | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Multifamily Marketwatch: Can Portland Fix Its Housing Crisis? Apartment Owners & Advocates Speak Out | HFO Multifamily Marketwatch® (formerly HFO-TV) | March 17, 2026 |
Legislative Testimony
2025
1 testimony
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 3644 Requires the Housing and Community Services Department to establish a statewide shelter program through which regional coordinators are selected to administer funding to shelter providers. |
Julie Cusumano | Oppose | 2025-02-25 |
2023
2 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 2680 Amends requirements for residential landlords accepting applicant screening charge. |
Caitlyn Kennedy Young | Support | 2023-03-14 |
| HB 2680 Amends requirements for residential landlords accepting applicant screening charge. |
Caitlyn Kennedy Young | Support | 2023-03-14 |
2021
5 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 852 Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, mortgage interest deduction for residence other than taxpayer's principal residence, unless taxpayer sells residence or actively markets residence for sale. |
Caitlyn Kennedy Young | Support | 2021-04-01 |
| HB 3306 Allows landlord and tenant to agree to recurring charge in lieu of security deposit. |
Angela Rae Huddleston | Unknown | 2021-04-01 |
| SB 278 Requires landlords and courts to delay termination of residential tenancies for nonpayment for 60 days if tenant provides documentation of application for rental assistance. |
Caitlyn Kennedy Young | Support | 2021-02-09 |
| HB 2101 Clarifies that all housing authorities must participate in Housing Choice Landlord Guarantee Program. |
Caitlyn Kennedy Young | Support | 2021-01-26 |
| HB 2101 Clarifies that all housing authorities must participate in Housing Choice Landlord Guarantee Program. |
Caitlyn Kennedy Young | Support | 2021-01-25 |