This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering the state.

As the rainy season begins, two statewide elected officials made conflicting statements last week about the shortage of roofs over Oregonians’ heads.

On Oct. 14, Gov. Tina Kotek issued a statement listing the number of shelter beds her administration has created in response to what the governor called a “humanitarian crisis.”

“There’s more work to do, and we can’t let up until everyone in Oregon has a safe place to sleep at night,” Kotek said.

That same day, Oregon’s labor commissioner sent a signal to the people sleeping outside in a county with one of the state’s highest levels of unsheltered homelessness: Housing them doesn’t matter.

At least, it doesn’t matter as much as pleasing the

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