Vulnerable People and Places Blog

  In the Pacific Northwest lies the rainy city of Portland, Oregon, known for its progressive spirit and thriving cultural scene. But, under the surface of Portland's charm lies a pressing issue that demands our urgent attention: the devastating effects of drugs on houselessness. As we confront this rapidly growing crisis, it's crucial to recognize the gravity of the situation and rally together to implement effective solutions. The relationship between drugs and houselessness in Portland is undeniable. Countless individuals experiencing houselessness grapple with substance abuse disorders, turning to drugs as a means of escape from the harsh living conditions of life on the streets. Whether it's methamphetamine, opioids, or other substances, the impact is profound and far-reaching, affecting not only the individuals themselves but also the surrounding community. Drug use among homeless people in Portland makes their existing problems worse and keeps them trapped in poverty...

Over the years I've had the pleasure of working with many folks in community service organizations both as a client in need of services, as well as a person working to provide others with services. From this lived experience a very brief survey was created that collects data about how each organization can best serve their clients, based on actual questions I have had to answer to receive help. You can find that survey here:  https://forms.gle/trU3Ngt9SfneG2HJ9 Source cited in this post: Bauer  Photo credit :, P. (2022, July 14). Pulse surveys: a quickfire guide for HR professionals . Cezanne HR. https://cezannehr.com/hr-blog/2022/05/what-are-pulse-surveys/

 It's 2024, and not only is the Portland Oregon area experiencing one of the worst winters in recorded history, it's also U.S. primary election season. Without delving too deeply into the political side of Portland Oregon, it's important to note the climates (both literally and figuratively) because I've learned over the years that the resources and services available for some of our most vulnerable populations largely depends on who is in office. I don't mean who our president is, I'm talking about all levels of government because almost anyone who can pick up a mobile device can easily recognize that any Nations "Commander in Chief" is really just a political puppet, sure they're the head puppet but they're a pawn in a rigged game of who has the power. For this reason, I am thankful the United States at least has term limits for the President because it's evident that with enough money and resources, you won't be impeached, or convic...

Feeding the Homeless in Portland, Oregon. Back in 2011 ' Occupy Portland' set up over 300 tents to house,   feed, and check on some of the city's homelessness population . Today, tri-county officials have reported that there are more than 7,000 homeless people living within the Portland City metro area and that number only seems to be increasing. Not only do these people have to worry about not having a stable shelter but one of the biggest issues for them is their lack of food and water. Every single day these individuals wonder about what their next meal will be and where it will come from. Although this blog post is focusing on the homeless populations in Portland it's important to know that Feeding America has stated over 400,000 people in the whole state of Oregon have reported 'hungry'. That is equivalent to 1 in 10 people, so the resources I will mention below are not only for the homeless but anyone who feels they may be in need as well.  Never be afraid...

     Homelessness exists across the developed world, and no matter how small, a percentage of any country’s population is homeless. The problem is difficult to remedy, especially in modern democracies where societies are placing a greater emphasis on inclusion. In 2018, people seen sleeping on the streets or seeking shelter are also seen in major cities and economies around the developed world. A strange phenomenon despite the economic prosperity. While countries may differ in how they find, calculate and report on homeless data, one thing is clear. Homelessness exists all over the world. Generic outreach work with the chronic homeless population often fails to achieve its goal. The challenge is to successfully engage and ultimately place clients into appropriate shelter, substance abuse treatment, or permanent housing settings. Premature termination from placement settings, however, may be the norm rather than the exception. If outreach providers and the facilities that ...

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...

  For many of us, sitting in front of a TV screen, and just watching some mindless tv show is good fun. It helps decompress from a long day at school, and/or work. A guilty pleasure of mine is Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. However, on the fourteenth episode of the twelfth season titled: "Shameless Not Ruthless", I could not believe the level of delusion and lack of self-awareness these affluent women showed. To summarize, Dorit Kemsley, one of the housewives featured in the show spoke about a charity that she had been working on called Homeless Not Toothless . Their mission statement states that this “501c3 nonprofit has provided free dental care to disadvantaged populations including Veterans, the homeless, poor, mentally ill, physically disabled, foster youth, domestic violence survivors, and the elderly, in the greater Los Angeles and surrounding areas since 1991. A particular focus is on veterans with disabilities including PTSD. Patients receive denta...

Mexico, whose official name is  the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico. It is the 10th-most-populous country and has the most Spanish-speakers. In many ways, the Covid-19 pandemic only heightened the homeless crisis, which has been an ongoing issue for this Latin American country. In early 2020,  according to France24 , approximately 12 million Mexicans stopped working in April after quarantine measures were introduced by the government to curtail the spread of Covid-19. Unfortunately, this led to an estimated 2.8 million people to be out of work in June. According to Mexico's National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy, it was expected that the number of people living in poverty could climb to 62.2 million in 2020. Which i...

Proper hygiene is a basic human need, a necessity for survival, and without it, a person is at risk of developing various infections and communicable diseases, potentially exposing other people to such illnesses as well. For those who are unsheltered, finding clean, safe facilities that offer showers and restrooms is a daily struggle. Lack of Hygiene is an Obstacle A survey of 550 unhoused individuals in Portland, conducted between 2014 and 2016, revealed that 40% of respondents have dealt with medical problems due to a lack of hygiene services, whereas 20% have been turned away from shelters and 22% of respondents have been denied meals, food, or services because of their level of personal hygiene (Hawash et al., 2016, as cited in Greene et al., 2022). The consequences of not having reliable shower and restroom access go beyond the medical—hygiene affects appearance which can, unfortunately, affect the way one gets treated in a service setting. A single, free shower, therefore, could ...

Image source: Pexels It is not uncommon to spot a four-legged, furry friend tagging along an individual who has found themselves houseless. According to Kerman, Gran-Ruaz, and Lem (2019), pet ownership is—in fact—a reality for an estimated 5 to 25% of people who have no permanent housing. These individuals have chosen to stick with their family members, their most loyal companions, but do bystanders react positively to such duos? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Is the Companionship Worth it? Houseless individuals who have pets are often ridiculed for exposing their beloved animals to a “distressing lifestyle”, but the reality is that the bond between the owner and the pet is more symbiotic than anything, and thus, beneficial to both despite the lack of reliable housing. Essentially, the pet is spared from an unstable, overcrowded shelter environment where there is no promise of proper love and attention, and the owner is provided with a multitude of benefits, such as emotional support...

Is healthcare in the US a privilege?                                              DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM      This may be a question that you have never had to ask yourself. Perhaps it is because you have always had health coverage or know the pain and tribulations associated with not having coverage. Either way, the answer to the question is YES healthcare in the US is a PRIVILEGE .      In order to have healthcare, you either must be employed or have a consistent home and the means to apply and keep track of state medical. These two things that are essentially tied to having health coverage are things the homeless community does not have so, they simply learn to go without. This cause rampant health issues within the homeless community along with the spread of diseases and the inability to treat them. The in...

 Debunking Myths About Homelessness What do you know about the homeless population in your area? What do you know about their struggles or overall situations? We obviously can’t know all of the individual histories of every person experiencing homelessness. However, it’s important to try to understand. It’s oftentimes that homeless people are looked down upon, but why? Maybe it’s time to confront our bias against the homeless by tackling the three main misconceptions behind homelessness. Laziness/Unemployment Starting with the biggest one, a lot of people think that homelessness is caused by people being lazy and not wanting to get a job. Contrary to popular belief, many people who experience houselessness actually are employed. It’s even reported that up to 40%-60% of these people are actually employed by The National Coalition for the Homeless (Council for the Homeless). The cost of living increases every year while the minimum wage is barely keeping up. Even for those houseless ...

  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...