Ken Cowdery, champion for helping homeless, to retire (Portland Tribune)

Ken Cowdery, champion for helping homeless, to retire
Portland Tribune
12/12

Erlbaum also praises the Clackamas County Commission for its support. He is especially thankful to Commissioner Paul Savas, who took the lead in reducing costs and cutting red tape.

After 42 years working on the front line of the homeless problem, Ken Cowdery has come to a simple conclusion.

“The problem is so big and complicated that everyone has to work together to solve it — government, nonprofits and the private sector,” he says.

Cowdery plans to retire from his current job as executive director of the Home Builders Foundation in January. In that capacity, he has worked to connect small operators of emergency shelters needing improvements with contractors and suppliers eager to donate their help and materials. Most of those in need are small faith-based organizations that are barely raising their monthly operating costs but are based in aging buildings that need work. Continue reading…