Vulnerable People and Places Blog

  (Image Description: Woman paints rainbow colors on wooden posts for the Queer Affinity Village)   “Focus on providing permanent supportive housing - that's what solves homelessness.” One of many comments on the community survey summary of the Homelessness Response Action Plan, a two year plan created by Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. At its face value, providing more permanent housing makes sense. Homelessness occurs because people don’t have a home, so just make more homes. Problem solved. Right? Like all things in life, it’s not that easy. In an article written by Lauren Everett for the Metro News, “Portland area is short about 89,000 homes for households making 50% or less of the Area Median Income” and in 2018, a bond was passed to create “4,700 new affordable apartments across greater Portland.” In other words, in 2018, we committed $652.8 million in an attempt to alleviate approximately 5% of our housing crisis. That’s no...

Homelessness in Portland is not just a persistent crisis but an urgent one , fueled by escalating housing costs and an inadequate social safety net. The need for accurate data is pressing, as it is crucial for assessing and implementing practical solutions. However, current methodologies, particularly HUD's Point-in-Time (PIT) count, use a limited scope that results in a significant undercount of the populations needing help. Currently, the PIT count only includes those living in shelters or on the streets , excluding many who are "doubled up" (meaning those living temporarily with friends or family due to economic hardship) and those in institutions like hospitals or jails. This narrow definition leads to significant undercounting, meaning that including doubled-up individuals and those in unstable circumstances is crucial. These groups represent a hidden portion of the homeless population, often cycling in and out of unstable housing. For instance, a 2008 study found th...

Social attitudes and biases about homelessness have a profound impact on policy decisions, public support, and the lived experiences of homeless people. Negative perceptions often portray homeless people as unclean, lazy, or dangerous. People also frequently misunderstand that homeless people are primarily substance abusers or criminals, ignoring the fact that many homeless people are victims of crime rather than perpetrators. This bias can lead to harmful policies, such as anti-panhandling laws and restrictions on begging or sleeping in public places, which exacerbate the difficulties faced by homeless people. While homelessness is widely recognized as a severe social problem, public attention and sympathy have changed over time. Recent surveys show a decline in public support for addressing homelessness, with fewer people advocating for increased attention and resources. Some people still view homelessness from a personal responsibility perspective and see homelessness as the result ...

  "Oregon has less than one-tenth of the state hospital beds for mentally ill patients compared to the 1950's"- Neil Rotman The short answer is: we have a long way to go. For years now, Oregon has put every little effort into addressing the mental health situation. Neglect and deinstitutionalization of mental health programs by lawmakers in  not just Oregon but all over the nation have made it a challenge to  take care of all the people who need help for their mental health. In an article by the  Salem Reporter Neil Rotman, an interim deputy director for Multnomah County's mental health and addiction services division states: "Oregon has  less than one-tenth of state hospital beds for mentally ill patients compared to the 1950's yet the demand for it has only increased". People with mental illness are more likely to experience social stigma and isolation which then can lead to being pushed to homelessness. This fact is highlighted by a survey stating tha...

It's 7am, and most of us are hitting snooze or brewing our first cup of coffee, but not for the homeless community in Clarkston, Washington. John Parke, known as "Cowboy," gets up at the crack of dawn not to wake up to an automatic cup of Keurig coffee but to pack his entire home before the local authority writes him up another ticket for sleeping in.  Cowboy on the move Many cities across the United States are finding ways to either support or ban the homeless population growing across the country. Some counties are creating permanent supportive housing while other counties are banning encampments, an out-of-sight, out-of-mind solution that, for some odd reason won't cause the issue to disappear.  When rural counties aren't taking responsibility for their community but instead pushing the problem for others to fix, it isn't creating a solution but creating an ever-growing snowball. When Lewingston County in Idaho banned camping in 2022, the homeless community...

Houselessness remains a pressing issue in Oregon, with thousands of individuals lacking stable and safe housing. Addressing this crisis requires innovative and cost-effective solutions to address the unique challenges faced by our communities in Oregon. In this blog post, we will explore the most effective ways to shelter houseless individuals in Oregon, and compare these methods to the best practices across the nation. It is important to consider the impact of different climate zones across the country.  In Oregon, various cost-effective shelter solutions have been implemented to address houselessness. Tiny house villages, for example, offer a low-cost, community-based approach to providing shelter. These villages, such as Dignity Village in Portland, provide safe and stable housing while fostering a sense of community among residents. Additionally, modular housing projects, like the one initiated by Portland's Kenton Women's Village, offer quick and cost-effective housing sol...

There is no single solution to the homelessness problem.  There is no magic bullet that will make it all go away.  But, there are things we can try that have the chance of making a big difference if we give them a shot.  And what I want to advocate for is Houseless Villages. The very first houseless village was Dignity Village, here in Portland. It was established in 2000 and is still running today, making it the longest-running houseless village. Dignity Village originally started as a protest to fight for a sanctioned tent city and they eventually set up camp next to the broadway bridge. They had to move many times due to police interference, but because of all the attention this got in the media they were able to set up a camp for 9 months under the Fremont bridge and they used this time to plan something more permanent. They then set up a nonprofit and split into three factions, only one of which persisted. With the help of volunteers they set up sleeping pods, garden...

It's 2024 you would think we've figured it out. If you live in Portland, you can testify that the houseless situation has become more apparent, but what about Oregon as a state? Oregon hit a record high in homelessness; what does this mean for our future or even the present? Check out the link below to see how it's dated since 2007.  Homelessness in Oregon hits record high in 2023