The Nationwide Homeless Crisis: How Oregon Compares

 

Like many other states, Oregon is struggling to find solutions for the growing homeless population. Take a drive or a walk through Portland, Eugene, or Salem and it is easy to see how much this struggle has increased. 

Oregon has a total homeless population of 14,476, the seventh most in the nation. When compared to states that ranked higher such as California which is in the top spot with a homeless population of 129,927, it is easy to think Oregon is better off and has a stronger hold on the problem. However, what we  need to consider is the homeless population per x amount of people, this statistic is what truly sheds light on the issue, as states that are struggling have a wide ranges of size and population. 

For every 100,000 people in Oregon, about 349 or homeless. And 328 of every 100,000 in California are homeless. Eugene, Oregon struggles the most with a homelessness rate of 432 per 100,000 compared to Los Angeles 396 per 100,000. 

For so long we have seen major US cities such as Los Angeles as being the epicenter of homelessness in the nation. Now it is time to understand this issue's increasing in our mid size cities, our Portlands and our Eugenes. We now know these cities are already overtaking larger cities when we compare the homelessness rate per 100,000. With this knowledge, it is time to start fighting in Oregon as if we are a much larger state. More resources need to be made available by the state, and we need to report on the crisis not by total population of homeless, but by percentage of homeless. 

To see more statistics like these click here:  https://www.security.org/resources/homeless-statistics/

The Rise of Homeless Students

The presence of homeless students are rising at an alarming rate. In the past decade, that number has nearly doubled, and sixteen states have seen at least a 10 percent increase in the last three years. Even though federal homeless education funding has increased substantially, there hasn't been a significant increase in the use of them. Why is this happening? There doesn't seem to be just one clear cause to all of this, but instead, it's actually multiple factors that most students just can't seem to control. 

A lot of this can be blamed on outside factors. We have an economy where inflation is occurring, housing costs are rising, and costs for food and other basic needs are increasing. The average student needs to be working and make sacrifices if they want to get through school and its increasing tuition costs. It's nearly impossible to live by yourself, and a majority of students that experience homelessness were sharing a house with other people. Many students may also not have the support or a safety net to fall back onto. They may have been displaced due to disasters or economic hardship, or they cut ties with their parents because of drug abuse, or they may just not qualify for financial support. These students are put at a disadvantage and are offered no support.

A majority of homeless students are academically struggling. As of 2017-2018, only 29 percent of homeless students are proficient in reading and language arts, while a fourth of homeless students are proficient in math and science. These students are not easily able to focus on academics while being stressed and traumatized about their living situations.

Think about the reasons our country has this problem. Can this be easily solved or are we building something that can't be stopped? This isn't an issue isolated with college students, but can be found all throughout grade school as well. I encourage you to read more about this topic to get a better understanding of it and to find ways to help.

Here is statistical information on homeless students

Here are resources provided by the National Center for Homeless Education

Sources: 

https://www.edweek.org/technology/number-of-homeless-students-hits-all-time-high/2020/02 https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-02-18-it-s-time-to-take-college-student-hunger-and-homelessness-seriously

https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/theyre-invisible-number-homeless-students-reaches-new-high

Help House Bill 2006 Pass for More Shelter Beds!

House Bill 2006 could allow more emergency shelter beds for homeless if Oregon State Legislature approves this bill. Currently, there is not shelter space to serve all those in need, and paperwork slows the process to open a shelter, this bill would remedy that issue. House Speaker Tina Kotek and other leaders plan to pair this bill with the $45 million in funding to help create more shelter beds and services to help the homeless into long-term housing and mental services.

If Oregon had about 12,600 shelter beds, there wouldn't be one Oregonian that would have to sleep outside. Currently, there are about 6,800 shelter beds. However, because of COVID, it has reduced that number some due to bed distancing guidelines. Also, due to the pandemic, more unsheltered people will be needing beds in the coming months due to the economic impact.

If you're interested in the Bill to pass the house and senate, I urge you to email all of the House of Representatives and let them know that you are an advocate in support of more shelter beds for those in need. Please go to: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/house/Pages/RepresentativesAll.aspx to see who all of our representative emails.

Sources

https://gov.oregonlive.com/bill/2021/HB2006/

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2021R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2006/Introduced

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/02/bill-could-lower-barriers-allow-formation-of-new-homeless-shelter-beds-across-oregon.html

Who Is The Most Knowledgeable On Homelessness?

https://www.pdx.edu/news/psu-architecture-alumna-shares-stories-homelessness-multidisciplinary-art-project 
 Leontina is a Portland State graduate who has spoken to and interviewed hundreds of unsheltered people in the past year. As her preferred method of transportation she travelled via bike and navigated through the city, talking to those who she came into contact with. She asked them about their stories and their hopes for themselves and their futures and also about how to better the situation for housing-insecure individuals. It is here that we become aware of the knowledge and desire fellow homeless people share towards the improvement of society. Leontina thinks “solutions can only grow when houseless people themselves are at the table alongside government officials, service agencies and neighborhood associations.” It is examples like this that prove just how important it is to hear these people in this situations out. They are the ones living that life and are the ones who will be more informed than anyone else. As members of the community it is our duty to listen to others and hear their experiences. No matter what we think or where we live, the homelessness crisis affects us. In one way or another we can all take steps to get involved with the societies around us, helping those in need in whatever way is fit. All it takes is the will to put in work. Portland is a huge city with a lot of people and it is the community that keeps it together. Listed below are local resources, information, volunteering, and donations regarding homelessness in Portland. We all play a part in the improvement of our city.

https://www.centralcityconcern.org/services/housing/ https://www.centralcityconcern.org/donate/funds/ https://www.centralcityconcern.org/getinvolved/volunteer http://www.pdxhfs.org/ http://www.pdxhfs.org/become-a-volunteer

Assisting The Homeless in Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon is a city facing an ever-growing dilemma of homlessness. With liveable wages being harder and harder to come by for the average civilian, rent and mortgages are becoming more of a challenge than ever before. That being said, there is a significant amount of people who have been negatively affected by this rising issue and because of that programs and initiatives have risen up to help combat it. Homelessness is something that affects us all, whether that be directly or indirectly. It shapes our cities and our states and those around us. Portland Homeless Family Solutions, PHFS for short, is a project dedicated to assisting those in need. Their goal is to “empower homeless families with children to get back into housing and to stay there long-term” and their vision is “a community where no family experiences homelessness and where every family receives the support and compassion necessary to thrive.” They aid in housing, prevention, and education for those who need it. PHFS is a wonderful resource for those in need in the Portland area and can benefit from people like you getting involved. They encourage volunteering, seen here http://www.pdxhfs.org/become-a-volunteer, and can benefit from donations here http://www.pdxhfs.org/donate. You can be the help in someone’s life all it takes is that first step.

In the Cold Without a Home

Despite the steep drop in tempuature, something that has remained a constant is the number of homeless people without a shelter of any sort. While the winter storm is raging, causing power outages and propety damage, many were left to fend for themselves outside, and this is with the context of Oregon not having the harshest of winters. Not only that, while the weather poses a problem on its own, this winter is unique in the sense that not only would people without homes have to deal with dropping tempuature and snow, but also the COVID-19 pandemic. The factor of the virus brings significantly more complications to housing people due to the risk of further spreading it. In the case of Kansas City city manager Brian Platt, he states in an interview with the New York Times that leaving the city's homeless population spent a night on the street, it would be a "death sentence" and that letting a shelter whose population was meant to cap out at 65 excced that was preferable to leaving it at the cap despite the increased risk of spreading COVID-19. Anton Washingon, a community organizer who was a voice in favor of opening temporary shelters for the winter season, is against this specific factor and instead "urged city leaders to find somewhere bigger". Although both view points attempt to tell a narrative showing concern for the homeless population, Washington's standpoint shows more experience with planning ahead given how in cases like these, shelters need to still be accomodating to populations in triple digits at least, since the homeless population in the state of Kansas was at around 2,400 as of January, 2019, according to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. Assuming half of those people are already sheltered, opening another one that is only meant to house 65 people, having it exceed capacity despite a global pandemic more shows irresponsibility for the planning of shelters in terms of raw numbers and the context of the world at large. Anton Washington's example is one to be followed by more local governments as it shows genuine concern for the homeless populaation while being considerate at the same time of the global pandemic still raging on in this country. If you would like to help with Anton Washington's efforts to aid the homeless population of Kansas City, there will be a link below to donate to his gofundme page. Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/14/us/coronavirus-homeless-cold-weather.html https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/ks/ Donate: https://gofund.me/91b9ae3f

The Peril of Compounding Crises

The recent winter storm in Portland has introduced new logistical complexity to the already demanding job of homeless shelters. Many locations are lifting restrictions to allow more people to escape from the potentially dangerous weather conditions, but that makes the task of ensuring that the staff and shelter population are observing safe COVID prevention practices even more of a challenge. Some shelters are opting for an open air layout, such as one in a Lloyd Center parking lot that doesn't require a clear COVID test to enter. But others are testing at the door and turning away those who came up positive, a practice that seems to deter many who are in need but don't want to risk their tents or belongings being damaged by snow and ice while they take the time to seek proper shelter. At the moment we are seeing one of the most difficult to manage results of COVID; compounding crises. How can we simultaneously take precautions against the Corona Virus during an acute emergency that requires swift action? Proper testing and social distancing almost requires that a certain amount of people will go unserved. It should be no surprise to anyone in the Portland metro area that resources for the homeless are stretched thin under normal circumstances, so the introduction of severe inclement weather conditions makes an already precarious situation even more problematic. There are surely countless other examples of the pandemic ultiplying the damage of natural disasters, such as what happened recently in Texas. Situations just as these really stress the importance of tackling the pandemic as quickly and effectively as possible so that we may address other concerns with the adequate resources they require.

https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/02/16/talking-to-portlands-most-vulnerable-residents-about-winter-shelters-including-a-man-with-a-blowtorch-who-didnt-want-to-go-to-one/

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/spoiled-covid-vaccines-texas-winter-storm-power-outages-set-stage-n1258216

Mutual Aid: Communities Helping Communities

Valentine's Day Weekend was one for the books this year. A large winter storm left Portland under a blanket of ice and snow. Many of our city's citizens were left stranded in their homes for days, often without power or heat. It was a grave reminder of the difficulties the houseless folks in Portland face every winter. A snow day is a rare occasion in Portland, because of this the city is often underprepared for snow and ice, and the ability to offer shelter to those in need with short notice is no exception. The inability to make systemic change within our goverment at a faster pace can be extremely daunting. As we wait for election season, or for bills to become laws, the people who really need things to change continue to suffer. But some Portlander's are taired of creating mutual aid funds. Mutual aid is a way for communities to take control of their own healing. At its core mutual aid is all about reciprocity: the pay it forward movement come to life. Mutual aid is not a new concept, but it really came alive in Portland during the Black Lives Matter movement of summer 2020. The houseless were fed by unemployed line cooks, respirators were donated to families who's homes were most effected by tear gas, and funding was raised to help those arrested during the protest get legal help and pay bail fines. And with the crazy snow this weekend came new forms of community support. Groups like Don't Shoot PDX, PDX Defense Fund, and PDX Free Fridge, who have primarily focussed their energy on aiding BIPOC communities shifted their focus this weekend and began seeking funds and recources for those most affected by the storm: Portland's houseless community. The weeks leading up to the storm were filled with tent, food and warm clothing drives. During the storm some groups took in donations and used the money to reimburse those who bought hotel rooms for their houseless neighbors. All three groups, and many more, lead social media campaigns encouraging Portland to get out and help their neighbors. Even Portland's popular Buy Nothing Facebook Pages were filled with nieghbors offering to help with rides to work, or extra blankets. Mutual aid does not only allow everyday citizens a chance to get involved and help when they feel helpless, it also encourages a sense of community. So many of the problems we face as a city and a country are tied to our lack of community. When we get involved with mutual aid, we begin to lessen the sense of seperation so many of us feel from our neighbors. If you would like to get involved with some of Portland's wonderful mutual aid funds, we highly encourage you to give @dontshootpdx @pdxdefensefund and @pdxfreefridge a follow on Instagram and Twitter. For a map of all PDX Free Fridge Locations visit PDX Free Fridge Map

Houseless vs Homeless: More Than Just Political Correctness.

While having a discussion about homelessness with a social justice minded co-worker not very long ago they used the term houseless. I had not heard that term to describe this issue before. At first, I bristled a bit at this. I'm not one to complain or pontificate about "politcal correctness gone mad" but I wondered if this specific example really necessitated a different term and after this conversation and some reflection I absolutely advocate for using and myself try to use this word in place of homeless. Homeless implies the lack of a home, which is factually incorrect in the sense that a "home" can be made anywhere. I think of the old saying, "anywhere I lay my hat is my home". People can make their home anywhere and inferring otherwise is dehumanizing, not to mention the fact that "homeless" certainly carries a pejorative connotation and stigma for many folks. The language we use to describe reality can affect how we see reality and I think thinking about how we use language can create empathy and can humanize the people experiencing this growing issue. Some may dismiss this as an issue of semantics but language is important, language is evolving and contextual. Language defines how we communicate ideas, and making choices about the language we use should be something we think about improving as we grow. The intent isn't to shame those who don't use this term, changing habits takes time. In the grand scheme of tackling this issue it might seem like a drop in the bucket and not something that needs to be focused on but everything starts with recognizing the humanity of others and gaining sympathy and perspective help lead us to taking action and lending our support. (Above) Portland's local news station published a short video explaining a little bit of the thought process in changing the terminology. (Below) A few links that also provide some context on the difference between the two terms.----Andrew S.

https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/why-kirsten-harris-talley-makes-a-point-of-using-the-word-houselessness/

https://dogoodmultnomah.org/blog/why-do-we-say-houseless

What is housing first and does it work?

What is housing first and does it work? When someone is experiencing homelessness they’re often struggling to find work, struggling with finances, and possibly substance abuse and mental health. There are a number of reasons individuals fall into homelessness but a promising solution is with a housing-first approach. Housing first is a practice of prioritizing housing as the first step toward rehabilitation back into society. Data has shown successful future employment and physical and mental health are greatly improved by initially having a home. This approach is already showing signs of success. Although it was five years ago, Utah tackled their chronic homelessness problem reducing it by 91% by using a housing-first approach. The Road Home, a non-profit organization in Utah, was the first in the state. Financed mainly through government grants and private donations, the organization has shown that the housing-first approach has been successful, not just for the immediate individual and families suffering from homelessness, but also due to less economic burden on the community. By utilizing a housing-first approach communities will have less stress on emergency services, hospitals, jails, and shelters. In addition, according to The National Alliance to End Homelessness, the annual costs of giving initial housing has been shown to actually reduce the overall costs for communities since emergency services will not be used as frequently. More information on these statistics is in the link below. More information on these statistics is in the link here:

NPR article about The Road Home Salt Lake City, Utah

https://www.theroadhome.org/

https://endhomelessness.org/resource/housing-first: