Charging for Change

 

    Society has put ourselves in a situation where we rely too much on cell phones. We take for granted how we can stay connected with anyone at any time. No imagine you had nowhere to charge your phone. You might think, "Hey I can just charge this at home." But what if you didn't have a home to go back to. This is the reality for most of the un-homed population. Not having a phone can prevent people from not being able to contact their family or case workers, apply for jobs, or even be able to find shelters or just use a map. 

    When I was younger, I showed up for a job interview wearing jeans. The people who were interviewing kicked me right out the door without asking me a single question. In hindsight I dodged a bullet with that job but there are jobs out there that judge people off their appearance. Imagen finding a clean interview outfit but your phone dies right when they call you to set up a date for the interview, and you have no idea when you will be able to charge your phone again. This does make it a little bit difficult for people to get their life back together. 

    What I suggest we can do to fix this issue is to leave charging ports at transit stops. I know there's a few charging ports on the MAX but putting some on the bus would also be a good idea. I also suggest that they pass out solar panel chargers at shelters or missions to allow their phones to charge on sunny days. In the long run we all know how it feels to be carrying around a dead phone. We need to do something to make that aspect of life a little bit easier for everyone. At the end of the day a phone is more than just a tool to distract you from the world, It’s a lifeline. It’s the thing that connects people with family and job opportunities. This small rectangle is what is keeping most of us employed.

https://twitter.com/ecopolproject

https://www.tiktok.com/@ecolife.project?lang=en

https://www.freegeek.org/

 

                                               

Thinking Outside the Box

 

PO Box. Two words. One of the simplest fixes imaginable.

And yet for hundreds of thousands of people experiencing homelessness in the US, it might as well not exist.

You can't get a PO Box without an ID. You can't always get an ID without an address. And you can't get much of anything (benefits, job offers, housing notices) without somewhere to receive mail. There's no way in, and the system doesn't care.

A job offer goes out. A benefits approval. A court date. A spot opens up at a shelter. They all arrive the same way, by mail. Miss one and you're not just inconvenienced. You're set back months. Sometimes years. Sometimes you never catch up.

The systems that are supposed to help you can't find you.

But here's the thing, this is actually one of the more solvable problems in the homelessness conversation. It doesn't require building anything. It doesn't require a bond measure or a years-long policy fight.

Some cities have already figured it out. Designated mailing addresses through nonprofits. PO box programs run out of shelters. ID and mail services at public libraries. Simple, low-cost, and when they're funded, they work.

The problem isn't that solutions don't exist. It's that most people have never heard of them, and most cities haven't bothered to scale them.

A mailing address isn't a luxury. It's infrastructure. And treating it like one might be one of the most straightforward steps a city can take toward actually helping people find a way out.

And if you live in Portland, this is your city. These are your neighbors. The solutions exist right here, right now. Someone just has to push for them.

Click here to see how Transition Projects in Portland is already making it happen →

Why Connection to the Online World Matter's

 "When Your Phone Dies, So Do Opportunities"

Imagine your phone dying, and you have no way to charge it!

For most of us, that’s just annoying and a simple fix. We plug it in later and don’t think much about it. But for people experiencing homelessness, a dead phone can mean something way bigger. It could mean missing a job call, losing contact with a caseworker, or not being able to reach someone in an emergency.

Phones aren’t just for scrolling anymore, they’re how people stay connected to everything in the modern world. A lot of people without stable housing actually do have phones and they use them to communicate, find useful services, and also stay connected to new opportunities. But having a phone doesn’t really matter if you can’t keep it charged at all.

This is something that’s especially relevant in places like Portland where homelessness is very visible and continues to grow. Walking around the city, it’s not hard to see how many people are dealing with unstable living situations. But what isn’t always obvious are the smaller everyday barriers like access to power. That makes it even harder for people to get back on their feet.

That’s where the real problem comes in. Finding a place to charge isn’t always easy either. Public outlets are limited and a lot of places don’t allow it. Also safe and reliable access just isn’t guaranteed. Libraries close and not every shelter has enough space or resources for consistent access for everyone. So even if someone is trying to stay connected, one dead battery can cut them off completely from that world.

It’s easy to overlook something like this because it feels small, but it really isn’t. Something as simple as keeping a phone charged can be the difference between moving forward or staying stuck. A missed call or message might not seem like much, but over time those missed connections add up and create even more barriers.

Most of us and even me, don’t even think twice about plugging in our phone before bed. It’s just part of our routine. But for others that same basic thing isn’t always an option and that lack of access quietly shuts down opportunities every day.

If you want to see how mobile phones are actually being used by people experiencing homelessness and why access to charging matters more than most people realize, click here to learn more: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6516785/

 “It’s Not Just Stuff, It’s Stability” 

Why Storage Could Change Portland’s Homeless Crisis

What if one small fix could make a real dent in homelessness, not solve it entirely, but actually move people forward?
Sounds unlikely, right?

So let’s start with a simple question:

Is homelessness really about housing or are we missing something smaller but critical?
Housing is the big picture, no doubt. But what often gets ignored are the day-to-day barriers that keep people stuck.

One of the biggest?

Not having a safe place to store personal belongings.

When you’re carrying everything you own, your priorities shift. You’re not thinking about job applications, you’re thinking, 

“Will my stuff still be here when I get back?”

That constant risk creates a cycle: stay with your belongings, miss opportunities, stay stuck.

But isn’t this just a temporary inconvenience?
Not even close.

Losing belongings while living unsheltered can be devastating. IDs, medications, clothing, and personal items are often irreplaceable in the short term. Without an ID alone, accessing housing, employment, or benefits becomes incredibly difficult.

And in Portland, this happens more often than people think. When camps are cleared, people rarely recover what was taken. That means starting over, again and again.

This isn’t just inconvenient.
It’s destabilizing.

So how would storage actually help someone move forward?

Let’s flip the situation.

If someone had access to a secure locker during the day:

They could attend job interviews without carrying bags

They could safely store documents needed for housing applications

They could access healthcare without worrying about theft

They could move through the city more freely.

That’s not a small change, that’s a shift from survival mode to progress mode.
Cities that have tested storage programs consistently show increased engagement with services. When people feel even a small sense of stability, they’re more likely to take the next step.

But doesn’t this just “enable” homelessness instead of solving it?

That’s a common argument, but it misses the point.
Storage doesn’t enable homelessness.
It removes a barrier out of it.

Think about it: we already invest in emergency responses, cleanups, and short-term solutions. But if people can’t even protect their basic belongings, how can we expect them to transition into housing?

This is about giving people the minimum level of stability required to improve their situation.

What would this look like in Portland?

A smart, realistic approach could include:

Locker hubs near transit and service centers

Monitored access for safety and accountability

Partnerships with outreach programs

Data tracking to measure success

This isn’t just theoretical, it builds on models already being tested locally and nationally.
And it’s exactly the kind of practical, scalable idea that a Portland State University capstone project is meant to explore.

Is this actually worth taxpayer investment?

Here’s where it gets interesting.

Without solutions like storage:

People remain in visible, concentrated encampments

Cleanup and emergency response costs continue

Individuals struggle longer to exit homelessness

With storage:

Public spaces become more usable

People are more likely to engage with services

The path to employment and housing becomes more realistic

In other words, a relatively low-cost solution could reduce higher long-term costs.
So why should you care?
Because this isn’t just about compassion, it’s about functioning cities.

It’s about:

Cleaner, safer neighborhoods

Smarter use of public money

Helping people regain independence instead of staying stuck

And honestly, if one simple solution could help someone go from carrying their entire life on their back… to taking a step toward stability…

Wouldn’t that be worth trying?

Curious how this is already being tested in Portland, and what the results look like?
Click here to explore the city’s day storage program and see the impact for yourself:
https://www.portland.gov/homelessness-impact-reduction/day-storage

The Importance of Mobile Asset Storage and Security Programs

Secure your belongings. Restore stability. Support HoldSafe.

Having your belonging secured, you also secure your housing, employment, and health. 

 #affordable #housing #community #cost

By: Colette Laskey, Eman El-Tayib, Elizabeth Le, Emily Le, Nnamdi Ugonna - Marketing FTA

WHERE DO YOU PUT YOUR LIFE?

 

"Where Do You Put Your Life?” Rethinking Storage and Homelessness in Portland
Portland State University Capstone projects are meant to tackle real problems, and here’s one most people overlook:
Where do people experiencing homelessness store their belongings during the day?
Is that really a big deal?
It is! More than most people realize.
Imagine carrying everything you own 24/7. Not just a backpack, but blankets, clothes, important documents, medications. Now try going to a job interview like that. Or a doctor’s appointment. Or even just riding the bus.

That’s the reality for thousands of people in Portland.

According to regional data, over 12,000 people are experiencing homelessness across the metro area. Many of them are unsheltered, meaning everything they own stays with them at all times. Without secure storage, people are stuck in survival mode, unable to focus on getting back on their feet.

But wouldn’t public lockers just attract more camping nearby?

That’s the concern people usually jump to.

But here’s the twist: the opposite often happens.

When people have a safe place to leave their belongings, they’re actually more mobile, not less. They can leave encampments during the day, access services, attend interviews, and move through the city more freely.
Programs like Portland’s day storage services already show this in action. When storage is available, people are better able to connect with housing resources and employment support.
So instead of encouraging camping, lockers can reduce the need to stay in one place.

Do storage programs actually make a measurable difference?

Yes, and the numbers are hard to ignore.

In Portland, when belongings are removed during campsite cleanups, people recover their items only about 4% of the time. That means IDs, medications, and survival gear are often gone for good.

Think about that for a second.
Losing an ID alone can delay access to housing, jobs, and benefits for weeks, or even months. Now imagine that happening repeatedly.
Secure storage breaks that cycle. It protects the few assets people have and gives them a stable starting point to rebuild.

What about safety and misuse of locker areas?

Fair question, but this is where design matters.

Successful programs don’t just drop lockers on a sidewalk. They include:
Staffed or monitored locations
Check-in systems
Clear rules and time limits
Partnerships with service providers
A well-designed system doesn’t create chaos, it creates structure. And structure is exactly what’s missing for many people trying to transition out of homelessness.

So why should Portland invest in something like this?

Because it’s not just about helping individuals, it’s about improving the city as a whole.
When people don’t have to carry everything they own:
Sidewalks become more accessible
Public spaces feel less congested
Encampments are less concentrated
People are more likely to engage with services

And here’s something that might surprise you:

Portland spends significant resources responding to homelessness through campsite removals and emergency services. But without addressing root barriers, like storage, those efforts often become a cycle.
Storage is a small investment that can reduce bigger, ongoing costs.

So what’s the big idea?

A Portland State University capstone project could propose a network of secure, accessible locker stations across the city, placed near transit, shelters, and service hubs.
Not just lockers, but a system:
Scalable
Monitored
Connected to real support services
Because sometimes, solving a huge problem starts with something simple:

Giving people a place to safely put their things.

Why should you care?

Because this isn’t just about “them”, it’s about all of us.

It’s about:
Safer, cleaner public spaces
More efficient use of taxpayer dollars
Helping people move toward independence instead of staying stuck

And honestly, if losing everything you owned could set you back months… wouldn’t you want a solution that prevents that?

Small changes can lead to big outcomes. This is one of them.

Want to see how Portland is already tackling this issue, and what could come next?

Click here to learn more about local day storage programs and how they’re making an impact:
https://www.portland.gov/homelessness-impact-reduction/day-storage

The Reality Behind “Just Get a Job”

A lot of people say things like “why don’t they just get a job?” when talking about homelessness. But after looking more into this issue, it’s clear that it’s not nearly that simple. Think about what you actually need to get and keep a job. You need an ID. You need a place to store your clothes. You need to be able to show up consistently. You might need tools, documents, or even just a phone charger. Now imagine trying to manage all of that while also worrying that everything you own could be stolen or thrown away at any time. That’s the reality for a lot of unhoused people.

      Losing something like an ID doesn’t just mean replacing it. It can take weeks, sometimes longer, and usually requires other documents that might also be missing. Medications are even more serious, losing them can directly impact someone’s health. And something as simple as losing clean clothes can affect whether someone even feels comfortable going to an interview.

       This is why smaller solutions can actually make a big difference. Mobile storage programs might not sound like a huge change, but they directly address one of the most overlooked problems: the constant loss of important belongings.

       If people had a safe place to store their things, even temporarily, it would make it easier to follow through on appointments, keep documents safe, and focus on longer term goals. It’s one of those things that seems small on the surface but has a ripple effect on everything else. Also, these programs can be designed in ways that involve the community. For example, partnerships with local organizations or even involving unhoused individuals in managing the system can help build trust and reduce misuse. So instead of asking why people don’t just fix their situation, it might be more useful to look at what barriers are actually in the way.