A new director has been selected to run the department that coordinates the county’s homelessness services.
Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson announced April 2 that Nathaniel VerGow, who most recently served at Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), was tapped to lead the county’s Homeless Services Department.
Anna Plumb, the Homeless Services Department’s current interim director, has served as the interim director since Dan Field retired from the position in June 2025. The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners will need to approve VerGow for the position later this month, and Plumb is expected to return to the deputy role after VerGow starts on May 4.
VerGow worked as a case manager, housing and outreach manager, and as director of a behavioral health project, according to the county press release. He has served in various roles at LAHSA since 2017, most recently as the deputy chief program officer.
There, he expanded the shelter system, adding beds and new shelter models, worked across the Los Angeles city and county, and managed the region’s homeless services response to COVID-19.
Pederson said she believes VerGow was the right person for the job as he aligns with the county’s values of helping people out of homelessness and into housing, and preventing homelessness in the first place.
“Nathaniel understands that delivering on that vision will require the operational excellence, management experience, coordination, and front-line perspective he’s fostered throughout his career,” Vega Pederson said.
If confirmed, VerGow will step into the role at a challenging time for the region’s homelessness crisis. Multnomah County and the city of Portland face significant budget constraints in the upcoming fiscal year. In a recent joint work session, the director of the joint homelessness response system, Jillian Schoene, said both governments should also expect millions of dollars in federal cuts, impacting thousands of people, as soon as 2028. That comes as more people enter homelessness than the county can house each month.
As of January 2026, nearly 8,800 people were experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Multnomah County, mostly concentrated in Portland. County data shows over 1,300 people exited homelessness that month, with 400 moving into permanent housing. Still, nearly 1,800 reportedly became homeless the same month, with roughly 1,300 engaging in homeless services for the first time.
“Multnomah County’s vision of integrating homeless services with affordable housing aligns closely with my values and experience,” VerGow said in the press release.
