How Do Homeless People Survive In Extreme Conditions In Portland Oregon Area

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Families and people experiencing homelessness sleep on couches in sheds, garages, abandoned buildings, and backyard tents in the Portland, Oregon, area. There are a couple of different lifestyles. Real-life examples are provided below. 

Cardboard—Many people today compare Storage spaces to cardboard boxes. Although they're not perfect, they withstand the risks of the street and are dry and secure. Additionally, they provide a means for people to retain part of their possessions instead of giving them up or stealing them.




Automobiles—It's hard to remain stationary when your house is mobile. You have to constantly move to avoid getting caught by the police and facing costly fines for sleeping in a car or parking illegally. You'll never feel completely comfortable.

Most of the time the situation gets worse when the bad weather hits. Homeless individuals in Portland change course as the rain comes back. They relocate behind buildings and bridges or zip up their tent doors. They search for rain gear and dryers. If it's a thunderstorm, they'll look for somewhere relatively dry, like under a tree or an overhang. They will look for a place out of the wind and huddle down with anything they can find to stay warm if it's freezing and snowing. They will light a fire if it can be started without destroying the structure. Nevertheless, we have homeless shelters provided when extreme weather hits but not all individuals are lucky to get a spot in the shelter. Living outside in the cold is riskier for those who are homeless and not in shelter. Hypothermia is a condition when body heat is lost more quickly than it is generated in cold weather.

We can take some actions to help the homeless population. For example, homeless people require blankets and warm clothes during the cold. Other winter-wear items include socks, scarves, gloves, and sturdy shoes. Hygiene supplies and non-perishable food items are also essential. 


  • Identify the red flags.
- Recognize the warning indicators of hypothermia, which include shivering, disorientation, fatigue, and slurred speech. Remember that the most vulnerable groups are older folks and those under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Call 911 right away if you believe someone is in immediate danger, such as if they are unconscious, unresponsive, or in extreme distress. You might prevent death.

  •  Have a conversation with them.
- Say hello and talk to the person if you feel comfortable doing so. Inquire about their well-being and whether they have somewhere to go. Ask them if there's anything they'd like you to do. 

Individuals who are homeless are far more likely than the average population to suffer from exposure-related illnesses like frostbite and hypothermia since they have nowhere else to live but the streets when the cold weather hits. I have provided more information below about how homeless individuals survive in extreme conditions. Click on the links to learn more about how the homeless population deals with extreme situations and how we can provide help. 

For more details, please check out the links!

PDXMission. (2014). Freezing temperatures threaten Portland homeless. Retrieved from https://portlandrescuemission.org/news/uncategorized/freezing-temperatures-threaten-portland-homeless/ 

Hill, H. (2019b). Life on the streets: Surviving the cold. Retrieved from https://www.streetroots.org/news/2019/02/15/life-streets-surviving-cold

Jones, J., & Plante, A. (2024). “I can’t feel my feet”: Portland’s homeless face cold temps, ice after shelters close. Retrieved from https://www.koin.com/news/homeless/i-cant-feel-my-feet-portlands-homeless-face-cold-temps-ice-after-shelters-close/

Photo credits:

Ludden, J. (2022). “it is the obvious thing.” The White House tries a new tack to combat homelessness. Retrieved from https://www.opb.org/article/2022/12/19/it-is-the-obvious-thing-the-white-house-tries-a-new-tack-to-combat-homelessness/

Oregonian/OregonLive, N. H. | T. (2023). Lloyd Center to serve as overnight warming shelter. Retrieved from https://www.oregonlive.com/weather/2023/02/lloyd-center-to-serve-as-overnight-warming-shelter.html

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