Singleton is among five candidates running to serve the rest of Susheela Jayapal’s unexpired term on the Board of Commissioners, which is up in 2026. That means voters will have to elect someone to this seat again in two years. 

Singleton, whose background is rooted in social work (she has a masters degree in this area) briefly led the Joint Office of Homeless Services on an interim basis before her departure in 2022. She cites “housing, behavioral health care, and public safety” as her top priorities. Singleton has worked in the governor's office, and also brings institutional knowledge about Multnomah County’s roles and functions. More importantly, she doesn’t have to guess about which policies and programs actually work to reduce and prevent homelessness. 

“I am the only candidate in this race who has direct experience serving people experiencing homelessness,” Singleton says. “I have run a women’s shelter in downtown Portland, I have run programs dedicated to serving people with severe and persistent mental illnesses at Cascadia, I have run the primary street outreach organization that provides housing placement and retention supports to move people from the streets and back into housing, JOIN, and I have also worked in positions of power at the city of Portland, Multnomah County, and the state of Oregon.”

While we think Singleton is best suited for the job right now, given what the county is up against, we’re also impressed with Nick Hara's professional background and vision, and hope to see more of him in local politics.

Read the rest of our endorsements here, and use our Voter Cheat Sheet to fill out your ballot quick 'n' easy! Election day is May 21.