How does the U.K handle homelessness?

   There is a foundational difference in how the U.S and the U.K handle homelessness. In the U.S we define homelessness as a very straightforward: "The state of having no home". The UK however, defines homeless in a variety of ways: 

• Have no accommodation available to occupy

• Are at risk of violence or domestic abuse

• Have accommodation but it is not reasonable for them to continue to occupy it

• have accommodation but cannot secure entry to it

• Have no legal right to occupy their accommodation

• Live in a mobile home or houseboat but have no place to put it or live in it

    These six definitions lead to a much wider variety of U.K citizens that could be legally defined as homeless. So why does the U.K define homelessness in a much broader sense? It could be because there are far more resources available to those deemed legally homeless. For example: If local social workers are satisfied that the person is threatened with homelessness and eligible based off of a homelessness application then these actions will be taking place:

• Assess the person's housing needs

• Agree a personalized housing plan 

• Take reasonable steps to help prevent them from becoming homeless.

I especially like that last bullet point. Action is taken to prevent the threatened individual from becoming homeless. This plan of action is great in theory but how does in work in reality? Look for yourselves 

    In the United Kingdom, approximately 16 out of every 100,000 people experience homelessness, whereas in the United States, that number soars to around 76 per 100,000. This stark contrast raises a critical question: what systemic changes can we implement to better support our homeless population and prevent more individuals from falling through the cracks? One key improvement would be the development of a comprehensive, proactive strategy for social workers and support services to engage with individuals who are at high risk of losing their housing. Early intervention could be the difference between temporary hardship and long-term homelessness. After all, the transition into homelessness isn’t just a logistical nightmare, it’s an overwhelming lifestyle shock, often accompanied by trauma, instability, and the erosion of one's sense of dignity. We must act not just with policy, but with compassion and foresight.

Sources used: 

https://ourworldindata.org/homelessness

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/homelessness_applications/homelessness_and_threatened_homelessness/legal_definition_of_homelessness_and_threatened_homelessness

Portland's Homeless: Who are they? iorwerth wu

author: Iorwerth Wu

 Portland's Homeless: Who are they?

Race, inequality, and the true face of homelessness in our city.

        On the streets of Portland, tents, shopping carts, and makeshift shelters have become a familiar sight. The visible presence of unhoused individuals has sparked concern and debate among residents, city leaders, and advocates alike. Who are these individuals living without homes? What led them here—and why do some communities seem more vulnerable than others?

1. The people behind the data: Who are They?

        Portland's homeless population is not a monolith. The people sleeping in tents or cars represent a wide range of backgrounds, life experiences, and hardships. But data shows certain patterns—especially when it comes to race.

According to 2024 reports from HUD and local nonprofits:

Race/Ethnicity	% of Homeless Population	% of General Population in Portland
Black / African American	~30%	~6%
Native American / Alaska Native	~6%	<2%
White	~55–60%	>70%
Hispanic / Latino	~15%	~13%

        Black and Native American individuals are dramatically overrepresented among the homeless—while white individuals are slightly underrepresented compared to their share of the general population.

        And while most people experiencing homelessness in Portland are long-time Oregonians, not recent arrivals, their stories are often shaped by intersecting factors of race, poverty, disability, and social isolation.

2. Homelessness Isn't Random—It's Structured

        Many people think of homelessness as the result of bad luck or poor choices. But the data tells us a different story. Certain groups face much higher risks—because the system is tilted against them.

• Historical Housing Discrimination

Black families in Portland were historically barred from homeownership through redlining and exclusionary zoning. Even today, many face subtle bias in rental markets, mortgage lending, and eviction.

• Income and Employment Gaps

Black and Native households in Oregon have significantly lower median incomes. They are also more likely to face job instability or workplace discrimination, which means they have less buffer in times of crisis.

• Health, Trauma, and Mental Illness 

Homelessness is often the end result of untreated trauma—something more common in communities impacted by poverty, incarceration, and intergenerational stress. Yet access to therapy, psychiatric care, and addiction treatment remains unequal.

• Criminalization and Incarceration

Black and Native Americans are more likely to be arrested and imprisoned for minor offenses. Once released, they face housing and employment barriers that often lead straight to the street.

3. Who They Are—and What They're Not 

It's important to push back on myths. Portland's homeless are not all drug users, or lazy, or outsiders who “chose this.” In fact:

• Many have jobs but can't afford rent.

• Some are veterans, disabled, or suffering from untreated illness.

• A growing portion are families with children.

• Many are simply people who ran out of options in a system that provides far too few.

We Can't Fix What We Don't See Clearly

To ask “Who are they?” is to ask a question about identity, but also about justice. If we truly want to address homelessness in Portland, we have to stop treating it like an individual failure and start seeing it as a collective responsibility.

Because homelessness doesn’t happen in a vacuum—and it doesn’t happen equally.

References

1. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2024). The 2024 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, Part 1. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2024-AHAR-Part-1.pdf

2. Episcopal Church in Western Oregon. (2023). Homelessness One-Pager: Racial Disparities in Oregon. https://ecwo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Homelessness-One-Pager_CC.pdf

3. Do Good Multnomah. (n.d.). Understanding Portland’s Homelessness Crisis. https://www.dogoodmultnomah.org/homelessness-portland

4. City of Portland. (n.d.). Homelessness and Behavioral Health. https://www.portland.gov/wheeler/homelessness

5. Portland State University. (2024). Oregon Statewide Homelessness Report 2023. https://www.pdx.edu/homelessness/sites/homelessness.web.wdt.pdx.edu/files/2024-04/Oregon%20Statewide%20Homelessness%20Report%202023.pdf

6. Council for the Homeless. (2023). 2021 Racial Equity Report. https://www.councilforthehomeless.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2021-Equity-Report_Final.pdf

7. Reichard & Associates. (2019). Homelessness in Portland: A Comprehensive Report. https://reichardandassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Homelessness-in-Portland-Report-5.4.19.pdf

8. Oregon Public Broadcasting. (2023). How Homelessness in Oregon Started, Grew and Became a Crisis. https://www.opb.org/article/2023/10/09/oregon-homelessness-history-background-housing-solutions/

9. Prison Policy Initiative. (2018). Nowhere to Go: Homelessness among Formerly Incarcerated People. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/housing.html

"MAGA and the Margins: The Homelessness Crisis in America During Political Distractions"

author： Tony Tong 

 "MAGA and the Margins: The Homelessness Crisis in America During Political Distractions"

    The United States experienced record homelessness in 2024. More than 771,000 individuals were homeless on one night in January, up 18% from the year before—the highest ever counted since national record-keeping started, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reports.

Even with the expectation that this growth would trigger a national outcry and spur reform, political rhetoric has pushed the issue to the periphery. In President Trump's second term, the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) agenda continues to focus on nationalism, immigration restriction, and economic protectionism—thereby leaving more and more homeless Americans out of the conversation.

The reasons for this recent surge in homelessness are many; however, the most significant of them all is housing affordability.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, to be capable of affording a modest two-bedroom rental home in the United States, one needs to make an average of $32.11 an hour—an income that remains unaffordable to most Americans. Interestingly enough, fourteen of the top twenty most common jobs in the country pay less than this housing wage, some of which include retail salespersons, nursing assistants, and food preparers 

Fig.1 Housing is Out of Reach，"National Low income Housing  Coalition,nlihc.org/oor/about.

This wage disparity demonstrates the alarming reality that even full-time employees become ever more vulnerable to homelessness. In Oregon, for instance, homelessness stands at 47.6 per 10,000 inhabitants, with more than 27% of renters experiencing severe housing cost burdens 

Figure 2: Homelessness Highest in States with Most Severely Cost-Burdened Renters，www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/record-homelessness-amid-ongoing-affordability-crisis

Such mounting pressures are not concentrated in a single location. Nationwide, Americans are being pushed out of stable housing by skyrocketing rents, stagnant wages, and inflated costs of living.

Public perception, nevertheless, paints a different picture. According to a 2024 National Alliance to End Homelessness survey, 57% of the respondents pointed to alcoholism and drug addiction as the primary reasons for homelessness. Furthermore, personal choice and mental illness were also ranked as significant contributing factors 

Table 1. Relative importance of factors contributing to homelessness.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10574586/

Though such individual factors certainly impact some, this dominant discourse masks an even more fundamental truth: homelessness is indeed driven by root economic conditions at the structural level. A 2023 NIH study discovered that the cost of living index alone accounted for over 60% of homelessness in the US 

Fig. 3. Perception of Homelessness Causes. “Summary of Public Opinion Polling on

Homelessness." Endhomelessness.org, National Alliance to End Homelessness,

endhomelessness.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Summary-of-Public-Opinion-Polli

ng-on-Homelessness-June-2024.pdf.

Unemployment, poverty, taxes, and even opioid prescription rates were all statistically less important than inflation and housing prices. The data speaks for itself: the majority of individuals are not homeless due to personal failure, but because they are being pushed out by an economic system that no longer functions in their favor. Still, White House political messaging has hardly acknowledged this subterranean reality. Rather than confronting housing insecurity directly, President Trump's administration has looked to further its MAGA agenda through means of discourse about trade wars, "law and order," and roundups of mass immigration. Under new executive orders in 2025, the federal departments of HUD and DHS were floated for use to augment mass deportation work—a move diverting attention and resources from housing crises around the country onto culture war battle lines.

Additionally, Trump's media approach has moved even further away from traditional channels, now welcoming curated MAGA influencers. The White House routinely holds briefings for social media influencers instead of the traditional press corps, according to People and Axios, thus shoring up an alternate reality where America's problems are presented largely through an ideological filter. In this information environment, the topic of homelessness recedes from view, making it apparently less urgent and, at least in the public consciousness, ostensibly less solvable. The gap between perception and reality is more than just bad luck; it is actually very dangerous. If society largely views homelessness as a personal failure, the policy reaction that follows is likely to lean toward criminalization rather than sympathy. As such, tent cities are dispersed instead of enabled. Additionally, public funds are diverted away from affordable housing programs and allocated to police activity. Veterans, seniors, full-time workers, and even families are falling through the cracks of a fraying housing safety net amidst all of this. If we're serious about moving people off the streets, we must remake the national conversation. We begin by sweeping away the myths: mental illness and drug abuse don't cause homelessness—rather, it's the runaway housing expenses. The data are out there. The real question is if elected officials are willing to listen to these issues. Real solutions need to involve major investments in affordable housing, living wages, mental health services, and tenant protection.

This is not a radical agenda, but a practical one, squarely based on decades of research and confirmed by the current crisis.

The slogan "Make America Great Again" suggests a return to power, dignity, and stability. But how can any nation be great when more than three-quarters of a million of its citizens live in vehicles, on the streets, or in temporary shelters? Fighting homelessness is not a distraction from national aspirations; it is a measure of whether our ideals encompass all people. If the MAGA vision is not inclusive of the unseen and the homeless, it would be no more than a campaign slogan—a pledge that was never intended for America's most vulnerable. America at this time requires leadership that fails to overlook its most vulnerable citizenry. Ending homelessness is clearly within our grasp. However, it begins with perceiving it not as a sign of failure but rather as a predictable result of policy—and recognizing that we possess both the tools and the responsibility to effect change.

References:

1. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “2024 AHAR Report.” huduser.gov

2. National Low Income Housing Coalition. “Housing Is Out of Reach.” nlihc.org/oor

3. Heston, Thomas F. “Cost of Living Index as a Primary Driver of Homelessness.” Cureus, Oct. 2023

4. Endhomelessness.org. “Summary of Public Opinion Polling on Homelessness.” June 2024

5. Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. “Record Homelessness Amid Ongoing Affordability Crisis.” Feb. 2024

6. Axios, People, Reuters (various reporting on Trump administration media and housing policy focus, 2024–2025)

Homeless Crisis - Amore

 Author: Lily Amore

Hold Hands, Not Hate - How You Can Help

Homelessness is often seen as an individual problem. People pass by and even get angry at those suffering without a shelter. There is often resistance to helping the homeless. Those tend to come from a place of hate and greed. If someone has had a bad experience with a homeless person, they may hold resentment towards every homeless person. It is important to remember that each individual is different. Homeless people should not be generalized into a single category. There is a common misconception that homeless people choose that life, or they are just drug addicts or criminals. However, homelessness is not just about losing one's home or getting addicted to drugs; it goes all the way to health care, employment opportunities, housing prices, and other resources that may be lacking in the community. There is not one type of person who experiences homelessness, but it can be anyone. Parents, children, teens, veterans, and even those working full-time jobs can experience homelessness.  

Portland, Oregon, faces a large number of houseless people due to economic changes, social struggles, and a very high cost of housing with few affordable options (2025). There are not enough resources to support those in need. Along with the homeless crisis is a huge mental health crisis. People are living and working in inhumane environments while still barely getting by. Those who do struggle are looked down on by privileged people. Clearly, this problem stems from deep systemic injustices, and the blame should not be put on the individual. The only way to work through this crisis is to love and support one another. Rather than being afraid of a homeless person on the street, I encourage you to say hello and wish them a blessed day. These small acts of kindness go a very long way, and they let those struggling know they are not alone and there is support.

References:

https://homelessnomore.com/why-so-many-homeless-in-portland-unpacking-the-causes-and-challenges/#:~:text=As%20of%202023%2C%20Portland's%20homelessness,significant%20increase%20from%20previous%20years.

https://www.law.berkeley.edu/article/clinic-study-details-how-business-districts-target-homeless-people/

https://www.fairplanet.org/editors-pick/2483539-children-homeless-in-the-usa/

https://nn4youth.org/learn/youth-homelessness/

It Could Happen To You by Diane Logan

 

It Could Happen To YOU

What does the face of a homeless person look like to you?

A homeless face isn’t necessarily unwashed, unshaven.

 

A homeless face might look like you or your neighbor.

All it takes is one catastrophic event or one missed paycheck.

 

 

MYTH: The main causes of homelessness are

             addiction and mental health issues.

FACT: Statistics show, the cost-of-living index is the most important factor causing homelessness (1).

FACT: Housing is Out of Reach for many (2). Minimum wage doesn’t cut it.

 

Nationally, the homeless rate has JUMPED 37% since 2014!

 

Even the homeless face you can’t see is etched with despair.

 

THIS COULD BE YOU!

Get involved with policy change to transform lives.

Hope versus Despair

 

(1)    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10574586/table/TAB2/

(2)    https://nlihc.org/oor/about