Vulnerable People and Places Blog

This November, the Portland City Council started a major project in regard to houselessness in Portland. The solution to this well-known problem? Government-regulated mass housing while banning street camping. Worries about lack of community input, essentially criminalizing houseless individuals living on the streets, and a variety of other issues are highlighted as this multi-million dollar project ensues. It is truly worrying when a project that affects so many people has no, or very little, input in the production and execution of the final result. It will be important to see how this project concludes, or if changes are made due to public opinion. https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/17/portland-oregon-camping-ban-housing-homeless-homelessness-shelters/

In terms of the impact homelessness can have on a person, it’s common knowledge that it is not a pleasant state. However, while most people think about this in terms of not having access to shelter, there are several other impacts of being homeless that can have just as bad an effect. Additionally, the way these issues connect with and compound each other further shows some of the other problems homelessness creates; demonstrating both why it is so difficult, and why the homeless deserve help.   One effect of being homeless that is important to mention is the lack of modern appliances. While this sounds bad and of itself, more specifically, it means the homeless are unable to store food, regularly ensure they’re as sanitary as possible, or securely store their belongings; to name a few of the problems this creates. This emphasizes just how big a deal this is, and it is an aspect of homeless not often fully or comprehensively discussed or portrayed.  Another effect of being hom...

The issue of homelessness is universally understood to be an important one. However, efforts aiming to come up with an effective solution for solving it are hampered by several factors. An example of this, and one with the highest levels of impact in this regard, is a series of widespread misconceptions that impact how people go about designing such solutions, as well as how they view the homeless in general. This not only makes it more difficult to aid the homeless, but in some instances also causes them to be unfairly portrayed in such a way that denigrates them for factors that were beyond their control.   One of the most prevalent examples of a misconception about the homeless is the idea that they are homeless through some fault of their own, whether that be financial irresponsibility, or substance abuse. However, there are other reasons people can become homeless. For example, through unfair economic practices by financial institutions they use, that result in people losing t...

          Since 1949, the Portland Rescue mission has been dedicated to making a difference by serving the community by ministering to men, women and children who suffer from addiction, hunger and homelessness in the Portland Metro Area. The Portland rescue mission has very humble beginnings. In 1949, John Van Diest, Sr., a Portland resident began the Portland Rescue Mission's legacy by serving soup and sandwiches out of his family car to hungry homeless individuals on the streets. These acts of compassion and kindness by John Van Diest, a Portland native and Christian man of faith had eventually blossomed and evolved into a modest soup kitchen on Burnside Street. John and his wife Tress would purchase the groceries and food supplies themselves to help feed the community. By 1954, the Portland Rescue Mission had officially been established and had moved to its current location at 111 Burnside Street, Portland Oregon. According to the Portland Rescue Mission...

       Every year we notice an increase in rent that we can't do anything about. A lot of the time, most middle-class people are already struggling to find good-paying jobs, and now we have to deal with rent that is skyrocketing every year. According to the State of Oregon's Office of Economic Analysis , next year's rent increase should not exceed 14.6%, which is a jump from 2022, which was 9.9%. As we expect that much increase, we can also expect more people to lose their homes.      In the  Supportive Housing Services Annual Report , the number of people experiencing homelessness rose during the covid time. And now that we are anticipating a much higher increase in rent cap, we will need to make sure that people know where to find help when they need it before it is too late. Prevention is always best for every situation and issue in the world.       With that being said, the Joint Office of Homeless Services has been establ...

A sweep of a homeless camp underway.  Source: Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian With homelessness becoming an increasingly visible problem within the Portland Metro, the Pacific Northwest, and the United States as a whole, communities hope for solutions to come forward quickly as the amount of homeless camps grows. Not all of these observers are particularly sympathetic: many find them to be unsightly, dirty, or concerning for their local safety. Instead of expanding support services to assist the people living in these camps, the city police conduct sweeps to clear them out of the area they have set up in. Police sweeps on homeless camps are not a new phenomenon, but with such a large and growing homeless population, they have increased the practice. During a police sweep, homeless individuals are forced to leave the area that they have created shelter for themselves and their personal belongings, often losing much, most, or all of their property in the process. Homeless people are some...

A short song for reflection on our blog's topic A few years ago, in 2017, a previous contributor to this blog composed and released an original piece of music that both encapsulated the author's emotions in regards to vulnerable people, and offered a moment of respite from the emotionally potent topic surrounding this blog. Inspired by that post, I decided to do the same -- compose an original piece of music that can accompany a moment of calm reflection.  The somewhat somber piano lead reflects the oftentimes somber discussions revolving around vulnerable people and places. The prominent, stripped back beat drives us, at a steady pace, through our short reflection on this blog, the work we aim to do, and the problems we seek to help solve. The woodwinds near the latter half of the song add some airy beauty to the situation, reminding us of the positive effects our emotionally demanding work can have. I hope, within the next few years, another contributor can carry on this trad...