Vulnerable People and Places Blog

Housing insecurity affects an estimated 24,000 people with developmental disabilities in Oregon and southwest Washington , underscoring the critical need for focused interventions and assistance ( ECONorthwest ). Intellectual and developmental disabilities encompass a wide range of conditions that include autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other cognitive impairments, which can significantly impact daily living and require various levels of support. ​It's vital that we explore this group's present housing situation and highlight relevant reasons and possible solutions. People who have developmental disabilities have particular difficulties that raise their chance of being homeless without proper interventions and support. In addition to the Pacific Northwest region's overall affordability crisis and the lack of adequate government assistance, this population is perhaps most significantly impacted by the passing or incapacity of elderly caretakers such as parents ( O...

Homelessness is not just a distant issue, it’s a dark reality right here in Portland. As we sip our coffee in cozy cafes, children and youth are navigating the harsh streets, their dreams stifled by lack of stability. Homelessness is not just a housing issue; it's an education crisis. In Portland, thousands of children and youth experience homelessness every year, facing immense challenges that hinder their ability to access quality education. I want to discuss the intersection of homelessness and education, shedding light on the challenges faced by our most vulnerable students. The Invisible Struggle: How Homelessness Impacts Education Imagine being a student without a permanent address. Homeless children and youth face constant disorder from shifting shelters, couch-surfing, or sleeping in cars. These disruptions wreak havoc on their learning environments. According to the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE), these students are twice as likely to repeat a grade due to f...

  Spreading Awareness to This Growing Issue/How to Help. First, let's set the scene to better understand the issue. Did you know that not only are homeless people more likely to become mentally ill (see below for definition), but mentally ill people are more likely to become homeless! "30-40% of those experiencing homelessness have a mental illness" (Homeless Hub) and that number can jump even higher to around 75% internationally if you also include substance abuse. To compare, "Only 6% of Americans are severely mentally ill" (National Coalition for the Homeless). I know I have noticed, especially here in Portland, the number of homeless people seems to only be increasing every year and there are a number of various effects that homelessness can do to a person. It's not only extremely tiring, but lack of food, water, shelter, and/or clothes will definitely cause your mental status to change in a numerous amount of ways. The quality of life these people are l...

For some, the library is a faint childhood memory, having its introduction be our beautiful look into the world of literature for the first time. For many, though, that is the extent of what they know. Outside of fellow scholars or students studying for their degrees, there isn’t much use for public libraries in the public consciousness. However, a city's public liberty is not only the epicenter of learning but positivity and open arms to the community. The public library is the undervalued lifeblood of a city’s information ecosystem. It brings people closer to information and provides them with many extra resources they might not know about in a diverse and equitable sense. A library doesn't say no to its community. Figure 1: Inside the Multnomah Country Library.

For many, the response of Portland, Oregon’s Mayor Ted Wheeler, to the ever-growing houseless issue in Portland is too little too late. After being elected mayor in 2016 and reelected in 2020, it has taken more than a third of his time in office to propose a solution to provide affordable housing and authorized houseless camps in the city, according to  OPB . The belated response comes after years of criticism, public embarrassment, and harassment. Hank Sanders from the local news organization  Willamette Week   interviewed Wheeler about the details of these volatile encounters from angry constituents after receiving a public lashing for his lackluster actions in these crises.  Image Source: KGW8 Please take the time after reading to fill out this short survey! Thank you. https://forms.gle/MrsHML16woC5pkBW6 In defense of Wheeler, the houseless problem has been an issue worldwide before Wheeler’s time in office and has grown exponentially since the COVID-19 crisis. Ma...

Homelessness and Disabilities According to the State of Fair Housing annual report in 2020 , there were over 10,000 complaints of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. Over half of those complaints were filed on the basis of discrimination against people with disabilities . A disability can be something obvious, like a person in a wheelchair, or less obvious such as a person with autism.  On a national level, the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity regulates housing laws against people with disabilities, however statistics like these show there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.  Fortunately, in Portland Oregon there are several organizations that work with and provide resources to people with disabilities, check out the links below to get involved or learn more. Fair Housing Advocacy Committee : A committee based in Portland to further fair housing oppertunity Project SEARCH –This organization provides employment opportunities for people with developm...

  Image courtesy of istockphoto.com   Monica* is a 61-year-old disabled woman working three jobs to make her ends meet. She makes roughly $2,500 a month, pays $1500 for rent, $300 for car, plus add in bills and food and it becomes impossible to save any money. Monica’s rent is going up, and she needs cheaper housing. She needs to drop two jobs because she physically cannot work that much, but if she does this, she will be homeless. Monica applied for several waitlists for federally funded housing, housing vouchers, section 8, section 42, and more. She isn't old enough for senior housing (age 62). She was denied every time for “making too much money” to meet income restrictions or “not enough money” to meet 3x rent for the apartments. She would literally need to be homeless to get help. And even then, some places require jobs, a specific monthly income, and base your income on last year’s tax return.   Post COVID-19 the housing voucher and housing assistance waist lists ha...

Image courtesy of Military Connection He goes to war. She fights for the United States. He gets injured while serving our country. She suffers from PTSD from serving our country. He is homeless and disabled. She could be homeless and disabled as it becomes hard to work a civilian job.   This is the truth for so many brave Americans once they depart the military. In fact, half of all homeless veterans have disabilities (DNVF.org). Homelessness is not uncommon for veterans. In Oregon alone, it is estimated that there are at least 1,300 homeless veterans (Oregon.gov). That is more than 10% of the entire homeless population in Oregon. This suggests that if one has served in the military, they are more likely to be homeless.   When this type of quantitative analysis is observed, veterans are not getting the support and critical resources they need. The government utilizes the Transition Assistance Program to help service members and their spouses prepare for civilian life, however,...