Vulnerable People and Places Blog

Multnomah County has begun to track homelessness numbers month by month. What they show is sobering. In just one year, the number of homeless people in Multnomah County jumped from 11,430 in January 2024 to 14,361 in January 2025. This is a 26% increase in just a year. This isn't just a statistical quirk. It's a sharp reminder that the crisis on our streets is growing and growing fast. This is also a more accurate number, as the monthly count helps ensure the count is on target The city is attempting to take further action to combat the increasing problem of homelessness. Demand for shelters currently outweighs the supply. A new initiative is in the works to add shelter space for 2,700 more people. But this won't be easy with a 100 million dollar budget shortfall. Progress has been made, as between July 2023 and June 2024, 5,500 homeless individuals were placed into permanent housing. That is real progress, but unfortunately, it seems like more challenges keep coming. If th...

If you have ever had to get up and face the day after a night of rough or no sleep, then you know the value of this often overlooked but essential human medicine. Sleep keeps us alive and healthy. Without it we find it very difficult to get through our days, to follow through on plans, to think clearly, to maintain any kind of consistent energy level. We may even doze off in the middle of a conversation or worse. Maybe you’re one of the approximately 25 million people in the United States who suffers from insomnia (Benca 4) in which case you’re all too familiar with the crippling effects of sleep deprivation.  Some of these negative impacts include: Anxiety Depression Hypertension Impaired cognition As well as higher risks for: Stroke Cancer Obesity Diabetes   If you have ever been without reliable shelter or a comfortable, safe place to sleep, then you’ve most certainly experienced chronic sleep deprivation on a level that most of us would have a hard time imagining, muc...