In Portland, you’re likely to encounter someone who is houseless; some by choice, many by circumstance. What many people seem to perceive as a nuisance, the placement (or displacement) of unhoused individuals has become a popular topic especially on the West Coast of the United States. Thousands of people live in tents, under bridges, and in forested areas. Other people of the population, mainly those with homes, detest the houseless and see mess and instability rather than a human in distress. Property values have exceeded - or perhaps have always exceeded - the value of the human. The pervasive issue of homelessness is hardly addressed by the government or politicians and local officials usually do more harm than help to the houseless community. So how can such an issue be fixed?
Firstly, this post will explain how the United States can systematically fix the houseless problem in the country but the reader must have an open mind; in order to see what has not yet existed, one must do what has never been done. Now, at the core of the houseless issue is capitalism. I call it the core because most issues involving the unhoused dilemma are created by capitalism. Capitalism puts a price on housing, making it a luxury rather than a human right. Therefore, if you cannot afford shelter, you will usually end up in a tent or under a bridge if the homeless shelters are full. The error of valuing capitalistic gain over human preservation allows homeless shelters to be filled to capacity daily while hotels, houses, apartments and other real estate properties lay empty and vacant. This dichotomy of unhoused people and “un-peopled” housing was magnified during these past pandemic years; in 2020, it was determined that 80% of hotel rooms across the United States were vacant. Another census report from earlier this year concluded that 16 million homes across the country are completely unoccupied. In a country with so much money and affluence, how is it normal for properties to be empty while thousands of people live on the streets?
The solution to the houseless problem requires a redesign of capitalism's influence on real estate; shelter must become a human right, bringing choice to the normally forced circumstance. The crux of the issue can only be addressed if we as a people agree to rebalance the values between humans and real estate. In order for anybody to have at the very minimum a small room with a bed and access to a bathroom and shower, those who can afford it should be able to achieve better housing than the minimum, thus lowering the value of real estate across the country while enhancing the value of humans everywhere. The issue of the unhoused, like many American issues, forces us to look at our foundation and question how we can make it better. There is too much money in this country for people to live without shelter. Homes and hotels should not be empty when people are dying because of the heat or cold outside. The preservation of human life should trump the continuation of inept and inhumane capitalistic mentalities.
So how can you help?
Hopefully, this post has convinced you to think about the value of humans in contrast to that of housing. Changing the way we see and value each other can change everything for the better FOR EVERYONE. You will play an important role in helping us elevate the value of humans in America by spreading this message! You can also learn more about your rights as a renter and other housing rights here.
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