Homelessness for women in Portland can be described as an invisible but widespread problem. The City of Portland’s Bureau of Housing and Community Development’s (BHCD) “2007 Street Count” reported that there are up to 360 women sleeping on the streets every night.

The BHCD acknowledges this number to be an undercount, because women without homes are extremely vulnerable to violent attack and rape and therefore make great efforts to stay hidden. At peak times, Rose Haven has provided services to more than 2,000 women per year, demonstrating the true prevalence of this hidden problem.

Even though women make up 25% of Portland’s homeless population there is no other center like Rose Haven that offers a holistic approach to assisting women in becoming self-sufficient. The "women only" model is an important differentiator between Rose Haven and many other centers. Women fear running into abusers when accessing services at agencies that serve both men and women. At Rose Haven these women feel safe.