Local Government Incompetence? An Analysis of Portland's Divisive Social Services

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For many, the response of Portland, Oregon’s Mayor Ted Wheeler, to the ever-growing houseless issue in Portland is too little too late. After being elected mayor in 2016 and reelected in 2020, it has taken more than a third of his time in office to propose a solution to provide affordable housing and authorized houseless camps in the city, according to OPB. The belated response comes after years of criticism, public embarrassment, and harassment. Hank Sanders from the local news organization Willamette Week interviewed Wheeler about the details of these volatile encounters from angry constituents after receiving a public lashing for his lackluster actions in these crises. 

Image Source: KGW8

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In defense of Wheeler, the houseless problem has been an issue worldwide before Wheeler’s time in office and has grown exponentially since the COVID-19 crisis. Many grassroots organizations have formed to help combat these issues: Stephen Przybylinski, from the peer-reviewed article, cite: Taylor & Francis, details the organization Right 2 Dream Too (R2DT), which allows for refuge in the Portland area. They have been around since 2011 and continue to operate. Despite growing tensions between the local government, Right 2 Dream Too continues to work to this day.

Figure 1. Original R2DT location at the corner of West Burnside Street and Fourth Avenue, September 2014. This site, located in the heart of Portland’s social service nexus, helped R2DT show how its model is premised on access to the central city. 

Image & Text Source: Stephen Przybylinski from Taylor & Francis.

As of 2020, according to Zane Sparling from the Portland Tribune, governmental officials have offered assistance to Right 2 Dream Too. As for the local government’s intervention, Wheeler only gave a little news past that from this source. In 2020, the houseless issue was the worst. It created a public health hazard. Ignoring struggling individuals has painted a poor spotlight on the Portland government, the Black Lives Matter protests, and a thriving and culturally-diverse city. Due to the lack of leadership, the houseless community has sought to build their own living space on sidewalks rather than deal with the lack of assistance from Portland’s’ failing government. 


Figure 2. Struggling, houseless people built living space on the sidewalk outside of downtowns Portland’s Safeway on Jefferson. 
Image Source: Nathan Varner

The importance of evaluating Portland’s’ failure to govern its people is to view its issues systematically to stop this from continuing or for it to happen in your city. To help fight against failing governments, research the nominated candidates for your county, city, and country. Vote according to policy, not political affiliation, or write in candidates in the case of a lack of positive options or politicians running unopposed. Donate to nonprofit organizations like R2DT and Street Roots, which are in the business of combating homeless issues in the Portland area.

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Further Reading

Frost, Allison. “Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler on the City's Latest Push to Address Street Camping and Homelessness.” Opb, OPB, 7 Nov. 2022, https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/07/portland-homelessness-street-camping-mayor-ted-wheeler/.

“Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler Delivers State of the City Address.” KGW8, KGW, 6 May 2022, https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-mayor-ted-wheeler-state-of-the-city/283-2e2fb45a-dbdc-4198-9ed6-ac917be4cf7b. 

Przybylinski, Stephen. “Securing Legal Rights to Place: Mobilizing around Moral Claims for a Houseless Rest Space in Portland, Oregon.” Taylor & Francis, Taylor & Francis, 28 Jan. 2020, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02723638.2020.1719307.

Sanders, Hank. “Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler Says People Confronting Him in Restaurants Are ‘Crossing a Whole Different Line.’” Willamette Week, Willamette Week, 13 June 2021, https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/06/13/portland-mayor-ted-wheeler-says-people-confronting-him-in-restaurants-are-crossing-a-whole-different-line/.

Schmid, Thacher. “Portland's Longtime Homeless Camp Is Moving, but Underlying Problems Persist.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2017, https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-portland-homeless-2017-story.html.

Sparling, Zane. “Funding Woes Hit Portland Homeless Camp Right 2 Dream Too.” Portland Tribune, Portland Tribune, 20 Aug. 2020, https://www.portlandtribune.com/news/funding-woes-hit-portland-homeless-camp-right-2-dream-too/article_f96f401d-79ec-5df0-9ae7-e178e88c857e.html. 


2/10/23 Nathan Varner

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