Insurers Swoop In to Find Housing for People Stranded at North Portland Motel

Earlier this month, WW reported that members of CareOregon, the state’s largest Medicaid insurer, had been abandoned at a North Portland motel. The nonprofit had cut off funding to the mental health clinic that was paying their room bills, and the motel owner was threatening to kick them out.

Now, five of the clinic’s clients tell WW that either CareOregon, or another Medicaid insurer, Trillium, has offered to pay for several weeks or more of rent until they can find other housing.

One such client, 45-year-old Amy Running, says a Trillium representative came to the motel shortly after WW ran its story and met with residents to discuss their options. Clifford York, the Safeway employee featured in that story, says his room is being covered until the the 27th of this month—and that Trillium is trying to find him a sober living home in the meantime.

Lucky Patel, the motel’s owner, says CareOregon is covering three rooms as of yesterday. But, he says he’s still owed tens of thousands of dollars in back rent and is threatening to sue WiiCare, the clinic, for nonpayment. WiiCare’s founder, Faith Omar, has told WW she’s hunting for money to pay at least some of the amount owed.

Trillium did not respond to questions. “We are unable to comment on the [Oregon Health Plan] benefits provided to individual members,” a CareOregon spokesperson says.

Meanwhile, Multnomah County has begun moving other unsheltered Portlanders into the Budget Motel on Interstate Avenue where WiiCare was lodging its clients. “We often utilize the Budget Motel for crisis vouchers and have placed a number of individuals there with crisis vouchers within the past week,” a spokesperson says.