Vulnerable People and Places Blog

          Homeless or not, affordable healthcare and access to healthcare in general is one of the biggest problems in America. Health issues, whether it's addiction, physical health, or mental health affect a lot of people and can be a major stressor for them. They can completely change and disrupt your life. Access to healthcare is the only way to help mitigate these ailments. That access is not a reality though for a large amount of the homeless population. Health issues can not only be a cause of homelessness but also be one of the major factors as to why someone remains homeless. A lot of homeless people don’t have any type of health insurance, the means to pay for it, or are even able to physically get access to healthcare due to a lack of unreliable transportation. Even if they are able to get there, they are typically not taken as seriously to due being homeless. To help remedy this, some organizations have been bringing care to them. Street teams of volunteers and heal

     As a homeless person, you are consistently discriminated against whether you are looking for housing, employment, or even just going about your daily life. These experiences can be even more difficult if you are transgender. Being trans changes how you navigate through life and even do basic things. An estimated 30% of transgender people will experience homelessness at some point in their lives (James). This is compared to 7.5% of the general population. Transgender people are also more likely to have problems finding and securing housing. One in five transgender people has been discriminated against when seeking housing (James). These could be things such as showing the property differently, having different leasing or loan terms, or even the outright denial of sale. Trans people also struggle with accessing the same resources that cisgender people do. Most homeless trans people choose not to seek shelter due to fear of discrimination. This, sadly, is a very real fear, for th

          A stable home. A family. A source of income that they love. The American Dream. That’s what everyone does, should, experience in this day and age. Yet that sadly is not the reality for over 7,500 people in the Portland area alone in Oregon according to the federal homelessness count. Long cold nights with very few places to go. Many are forced to set up camps in really any grassy areas they can find. Then there’s the correlation of mental illness and homelessness to think about. According to an ABC news analysis of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development data, in 2022 approximately 50% of the homeless struggled with a severe mental illness of some kind. This suite of mental illness often comes from either due to pre-existing conditions or from the trauma of becoming homeless itself. So the question remains, how does this drastic change in lifestyle come about? The Problem      Debt is a fairly pervasive part of American culture, and in the medical sector, especially

The number of unsheltered people in the United States compared with other liberalized democratic nations is startling. With the United States consistently being ranked year after year as an economic and GDP per capita superpower, how has the nation neglected to tackle the homeless crisis? For this purpose, it is more beneficial to compare the U.S.A. with similar democratic and liberalized governments. How has the United States homeless population grown overtime while other nations have succeeded in reducing the population. Is the reasoning for this strictly political policy, or is this due to financial and cultural reasons? How does the United States tackle homelessness? The Department of Urban and Housing Development is the main federal agency that attempts to eliminate the homeless crisis. This department is funded through congressional budgeting and provides federal housing assistance to the homeless. In 2021, the department received 47.9 billion dollars, however this was 8.6 billio

                                                 Jailing Those with Addiction Portland has been dealing with the fallouts and tribulations of its city's drug problems for a while. The city's approach to substance abuse has become a hot topic for many politicians in the country. There have been so many talks, lectures, and articles written about Portland’s addiction and other issues. Many cities in America have the same issues and Portland is not an anomaly. Opioid deaths have been a pressing concern, with calls from Portland's citizens to make harm reduction strategies. This includes needle exchange programs and more availability of Narcan. Addressing the main cause of why people do drugs means there has to be a bigger discussion. This includes not having everyday needs met like food or shelter, mental health issues, and lack of access to help. This topic is still fought about to this day and will be for a long time in the future. Portland has been increasing access to help

  The Cost of Ignoring Homelessness Addressing the homeless situation in Portland is morally imperative as well as economically and socially beneficial to both individuals and communities. By investing in prevention and support programs, as a community, we can approach homelessness in a way that will help Portland as a whole. Studies have shown that homeless people, when compared with those who have a home, are associated with more emergency room visits, greater inpatient admissions, and longer hospital stays (DuBois). The cost for these services ends up falling onto the City and taxpayers, hurting the economy (DuBois).  Not only does homelessness impact the economy but also affects society on a social level. Many homeless individuals experience harsh weather conditions, lack of medical care, and violence. People experiencing homelessness have a 60% greater mortality risk when compared with housed individuals living in poverty (Chimowitz and Ruege). The risks increase if this individua

  As many of you have seen over the past year, the housing market in the Portland area has continued to increase. With rising home prices and mortgage rates, buying a house has become extremely difficult or not an option any longer for many people. The increased price for homes and mortgage rates have priced many people out of the housing market, especially younger generations. Unfortunately, I have fallen into this group of the younger generation that is currently not able to afford to purchase a first home. Even with a full time job working in the public sector, the current housing market has exceeded my budget, along with many others in a similar situation.  Not only has the affordability of the housing market in Portland decreased and priced some out of the market, it has also forcing more people from getting housing and remain homeless. We all know that Portland and almost every large city in the country have been dealing with an increase in homelessness and the challenges of help

  Image by: The Grant Halliburton Foundation In the heart of our cities, a silent crisis unfolds - the disproportionately high rates of homelessness among LGBTQ individuals . It is an issue that demands our attention, empathy, and action. Why should you, the reader, care about LGBTQ homelessness? Beyond the moral imperative, it's a matter of social justice and equality.  LGBTQ individuals face unique challenges, including family rejection, discrimination, and heightened rates of mental health issues, pushing them into the perilous cycle of homelessness. This is not just an LGBTQ issue; it's a human issue. Every person, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity, deserves the basic human right of a safe and secure place to call home. Consider the stark statistics: LGBTQ youth are significantly overrepresented in homeless populations. They often find themselves on the streets after being rejected by their families due to their sexual orientation or gender identi

  Can Government Interventions End Homelessness? Homelessness is a societal epidemic that traps individuals and families in cycles of poverty and instability.  Homelessness can be defined as the state of lacking permanent, adequate housing. People who experience homelessness may live in shelters, transitional housing, or on the streets. The implications of homelessness on individual lives as well as greater communities are far reaching. Research has shown that those without a stable home are more likely to suffer from mental health and physical health problems, they are at risk of falling into substance abuse, and face frequent violence and exploitation (Padgett, 2020). The lack of safe and secure housing can also lead to impaired accessibility to education and employment, which ultimately perpetuates a cycle of poverty and inequality. As the number of homelessness continues to rise in the United States and specifically becomes more prevalent in Portland, Oregon, it is crucial to recog

The Importance of Financial Awareness and Literacy We live in a world that is constantly changing and evolving. Today's financial landscape is different than it was 10 years ago so it's important to be financially aware and literate. Making informed decisions regarding one’s finances, empowers individuals and fosters financial stability. Financial awareness means having a clear understanding of your finances and situation. While financial literacy is being able to interpret financial information, make informed decisions, and plan for the future.  Lacking financial awareness and literacy can lead individuals to struggle with debt, budgeting, having a hard time buying a home, and saving for retirement. Financial stress can also impact one’s mental health and cause anxiety. A few practical steps toward financial empowerment: Self-Education: There are many resources available online and throughout the Portland community that can help enhance financial literacy. Knowing and being