The Grim State of Affordable Housing

 

Affordable housing is one of the key concerns for the city of Portland. To really paint the picture of how grim the situation is, out of every state in the nation, Oregon ranks FIRST for the number of families with children experiencing homelessness. This amount is 14 times more than the national average. Almost three times higher than Hawaii, which has the second highest rate. 

One of the large reasons for this situation is the housing crisis. The Portland Metro Chamber, and an independent firm DHM Research conducted a local poll asking citizens about the top issue the area is currently facing. 35% answered homelessness, 18% answered affordable housing, 7% answered cost of living or inflation. The three of these all go hand in hand, and together they account for 60% of the respondents! 

The City of Portland estimates homelessness has increased by 65% from 2015, and it’s only getting worse. As the home and rent prices continue to increase disproportionately to the wages, more people are forced to the streets. This is clearly affecting the whole community on a large scale. You or someone you know could be at risk; or perhaps already are experiencing some of these challenges and the financial burden.  

Since it is affecting all of us to a certain extent, it is very important that we acknowledge it as a collective issue. It is not just individual failures but rather the reflection of broader systemic issues such as rising housing costs and lack of affordable options. As the pressures worsen, more people are at risk. If you want to learn more, click here and here.