HOMELESSNESS IS COMMON AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS SUCH

People in our daily interactions, ones you may not even suspect, are likely to have experienced being homeless at some point in their lives. These people are students, sisters, brothers, parents, daughters and sons. Homelessness is an ongoing issue globally, but especially in and around Portland: There are at least 4,177 homeless individuals at any given night in the city of Portland according to the most recent count, reports Molly Harbarger of the Oregonian newspaper.

This city’s population has grown in recent years. Rent costs have increased significantly, correlating directly with people losing their homes. People who were once barely “making it” have been pushed over the edge. Minimum wage is not covering the cost of living for many individuals in Multnomah County.

At the same time, various studies have shown that a chronically homeless person can cost taxpayers up to $50,000 per year (source: the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness – usich.gov). Essentially it is cheaper, for the public at large, to solve the homeless problem than to ignore it.

More permanent housing must be built to support these individuals, rather than allowing the cycle of emergency room visits, jail time and shelter costs to continue.

The stereotypes of all homeless people being drug addicts, “lowlifes,” criminals or mentally unstable individuals are wrongly applied. Some of these qualities are true for many of the chronically homeless, but not for all. People everywhere struggle with having or maintaining a home, for different reasons.

Oftentimes individuals who have become homeless or once experienced it are looked down upon, misunderstood, and treated like outcasts to our society. We should treat these people with dignity, give them support and motivation to better themselves, instead.

Much of the problem begins with how children are raised, and their background. The people that are more likely to become homeless are those who do not have strong support systems or family ties. It is easier for individuals without a home to stay without one and fall into drug addictions because they have nothing else to lose, no one to pull them out of the situation. Being intoxicated allows their “meaningless” days to go by quicker.

Those who are chronically homeless tend to have physical and mental health issues and are in urgent need of support and encouragement. Children who are homeless struggle a lot, as well, often moving between schools and losing connections with friends, mentors and teachers. This decreases their likelihood of graduating, forming meaningful attachments or maintaining the ability to better themselves.

As the holiday season approaches and the weather becomes increasingly colder, shelters are buzzing with action and filling up. Portland has many resources to help the homeless; however, it lacks a significant amount of permanent housing solutions.

It is important for us as intellectuals, scholars, and community members to broaden our senses to the reality of this issue and moreover, how this problem affects our society, economy, safety, and cities. Homeless individuals are, in themselves, not bad people; they are humans who have been put in a bad situation and need compassion from those who can help.