Out with the Poor, In with the Rich: The Gentrification to Houselessness Machine

Monday, July 15, 2024

Out with the Poor, In with the Rich: The Gentrification to Houselessness Machine

Photo by Cornelius Swart

In the ever-developing city of Portland, it is a crime to be poor. This crime comes with consequences with deeper, more invasive implications than many of us realize, as gentrification and displacement are conditions that go hand in hand.

Whole neighborhoods, predominantly those in red-lined Black communities (Albina, Mississippi, etc.) are being leveled and built from the ground up, actively burying the history, present, and futures of Portland's people of color. It is no accident then that African Americans make up the fastest-growing racial population of the houseless (Impact NW).

According to the city government, Portland has seen a 65% increase in houselessness between 2015 and 2023 (Portland.gov). With sudden, unjustified, and unbending rent increases, developers force the working class out of their homes, making way for higher-income individuals. This process completely reshapes the social, racial, and economic demographics of these spaces.

Gentrification is sold to us in encrypted terms. We are told that with the development of our neighborhoods will come economic uplifting through modernization, innovation, and business. The reality though is that developments exploit poverty and perpetuate destitution to achieve these goals, disenfranchising those who are unable to afford the so-called financial benefits.

Mental health struggles and drug addiction, though results of houselessness, are often pointed to and assumed as its cause. However, these false flags work as scapegoats, washing our city’s hands clean of any real responsibility towards fixing the systemic issues our houselessness presents. The high cost of living, low median income, institutional racism, and gentrification make the streets the only option left for the thousands of unhoused individuals living in them. This issue is significant and impactful as over 66% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, one step away from losing their own homes (MarketWatch).

With recent Supreme Court decisions ruling houselessness and street camping potentially punishable “acts”, the machine continues to grind on with prison being the final outcome. This is because in the city of Portland, it is a crime if you cannot afford to exist.

Advocacy projects such as Impact NW are working to provide housing services for those in unstable living situations. PDX Housing Solidarity and Albina Vision Trust are striving to safeguard and rebuild Black and Brown neighborhoods. All of these services are linked below and actively looking for donations, volunteer aid, and engagement from those who may need their resources. The time to act is now. Let's protect Portland for all!