Understanding and Mitigating Housing Insecurity in Portland, Oregon.

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Housing insecurity is defined as the lack of security in a home – often caused by increasing costs, homelessness, housing availability and poor housing quality. Housing insecurity is experienced differently by many, however, the unsheltered and those living with disabilities experience housing insecurity at a disproportionate rate. In Portland, in particular, mental health and addiction are two key factors in the prevention of security high quality and affordable housing. [Weisenbloom] These barriers are exacerbated by the gap between average cost of living and median income. Portland, for example, has the one of the greatest gaps between these two in the country. Multnomah County alone has over 5,000 individuals that meet the federal definition of homelessness.

Housing tents on a city sidewalk  
Photo by Nathan on Unsplash.

In a renter’s market, renters often spend above 50% of their income on rent. This leaves little for life expenditures – such as medical costs, food, transportation, childcare and other necessities. To mitigate this barrier, cities and governing bodies must do more to ensure affordable housing is made available to meet the growing populations. The affordable housing model fixes rent rates within specific income brackets. These developments receive a tax credit, creating housing units which are lower than the standard market rate. This model incentivizes developments to dedicate 10% of the total units to qualify as affordable housing. As these rates are based on area median incomes (AMI), these apartments are often out of reach for the unemployed and homeless.

Alternatively, subsidized housing (such as Section 8 housing) leverages vouchers for rent discounts. Within the subsidized housing model, rent is generally 28.5% to 30% of gross income. Often, however, subsidized housing is made from poor quality materials, offers little safety to tenants and has extensive wait lists. In 2023, for example, OPB examined an affordable housing complex which failed to maintain a safe environment for its tenants. At Argyle Gardens, poor management lead to dangerous living conditions for tenants.


Shared living conditions at Argyle Gardens, Portland, Oregon. 
Source: Portland Mercury.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has a search feature dedicated to finding HUD subsidized apartments.

In addition to the financial burdens to accessing a home, race plays a significant role in housing security. Black Portlanders, for example, experience homelessness at 3x the rate of their white counterparts. Indigenous Portlanders experience homelessness at 13x the rate of their white counterparts. [Multnomah County]

Understanding these aspects are crucial to minimizing the threshold to accessing housing and ensuring Portland’s (and the nations) populations are sheltered. By meeting the publics human right to shelter, we as a city can offer opportunities to integrate our most vulnerable populations into a healthy and bustling economy.

To find affordable housing in the Portland Metro area, visit Multnomah County’s Affordable/Subsidized Housing Resources online.

Sources:
Multnomah County. “NEWS RELEASE: Tri-County Point in Time Count Numbers, Shared Regionally for First Time, Show Shifts in Homelessness,” May 4, 2022. https://www.multco.us/johs/news/news-release-tri-county-point-time-count-numbers- shared-regionally-first-time-show-shifts. 

Weisenbloom, Max. Barriers to Creating and Accessing Affordable Housing in Portland, Oregon. University of Oregon. June 2023.

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