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No Place to Call Home: Chronic Homelessness
I see the same people on the streets every day on my way to work. They hold signs at intersections and on-ramps, collecting change from passing cars. A lot of them have been working the same spots for over a year. If it's been that long since they had a roof over their head, these people fit the government's definition of chronically homeless. The definition is a subject of some debate among homeless advocates, but it basically amounts to a label for people who have multiple barriers to housing, such as mental illness, substance abuse, a criminal record or a physical disability. Though they make up 10-20% of the homeless population (depending on where you are and who you ask), the chronically homeless use a disproportionate amount of resources. That's why counties, states, and the federal government have made chronic homelessness a big part of their 10 year plans to end homelessness.
Many of these plans focus on the "housing first" model, which aims to get people off the streets immediately and then address the various reasons behind their homelesness. This plan obviously focuses on the longterm problem, but the current economic crisis has put a strain on many of the services set up to help people out of homelessness, from emergency shelters to rental assistance. The next in our series No Place to Call Home will examine chronic homelessness.
Have you ever been homeless? What challenges did you face in trying to get off the streets? Do you work with people who are homeless? What do you see as the best way to address chronic homelessness?
GUESTS:
- Nick Fish: Portland city commissioner
- Israel Bayer: Director of Street Roots
- Herm Boes: Lightening Rod associate for Salem Leadership Foundation
Tagged as: homeless · mental health · noplace
Photo credit: Lee Nachtigal / Creative Commons
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I have a friend that is going through this now, and has been told he has to sign up with central city concern to keep his housing that has been set up for him. he goes to all the meetings that are required and goes in to get his bus pass for the month and they are not available because the check central city concern wrote to tri-met bounced, leaving this handicapped man unable to keep his other appointments on time, if he does not show up he can loose his housing.
Some of the people that work at central city have new cars caddys and S U V'S (he's seen this) and when they started this program these same people had old cars. Where the money going? Also the apartment he was set up in is full of cockroaches and bed bugs which have been sprayed 3 times and the toxins from the spray causes severe headaches, nausea and weakness. Here is an example of how people slip through the cracks: This man will be labeled in a negivitive report as a non-co-operative client to cover up thier mis- management of government fundings, and then a wonderful report is written in the local paper praising centeral city concern, and this man is physically and emotionally handicap and cant get help, he has repeatedly requested help with a counselor for his severe post tramatic syndrome with out ever getting assistance. People want to know why this system is not working? Lets require audits for those who receive federal funding to help the homeless, and then the "me first" screw everyone else s mentality will change .Who do the homeless report to when the federal monies sent to help them is misused. I would not trust the system either.
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The only way to end homelessness is to switch to a different ecconomic system. Capitalism requires homelessness to function properly. Want to end homelessness? End capitalism.
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Capitalism is just a set of rules that we've made. We made the rules partly thru greed. Greed partly comes from the survival instrinct (if some keeps me alive, more will keep me more alive).
I think that any system would work, IF we had perfect people to run it. I think we've just allowed people to push capitalism to it's limit: where "greed is good". We allow multi-billionaires to "keep it all".
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Capitalism's only about 500 years old if that's any consolation. Perhaps humanity can outlive it.
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One of the most informative articles I ever read was "Million Dollar Murray," in The New Yorker, February 13, 2006.
But it is a shame that in this country we have failed the mentally ill so much.
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In America we've all been brought up to believe that we're all free: everything is a matter of choice-- if you just choose to be "right", then you wouldn't have problems.
So, it's just a part of our culture. We don't want to believe that some people were born with mental or emotional illness.
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As a former homeless advocate, there will always be some segment of people who live on the street. And I doubt it will be for lack of trying. There is a segment of the homeless population who either prefers life on the street, or is not mentally able to tolarate the confinement and control that life in shelters necessarily brings.
As people who strive to reduce homelessness we have to remember to offer people a choice, and understand if they refuse offers of assistance.
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I was surprised going back to NYC recently. Compared to 10 years ago, there are no homeless or panhandling in Times Square, Central Park or anywhere you could see. Where are the homeless? Is this a sign of success? Did NYC just export the problem to a smaller warmer cities? Can the solution be replicated elsewhere?
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I wonder what other more enlightened nations do, like Norway, Sweden, France, Cuba, Canada, etc.
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Here in the UK we've had a national health service for sixty years that covers the whole population and social housing that about a quarter of the population live in. We have good services as I imagine most other developed countries in the West do.
A problem with the US seems to be the aversion to words like "social" as in "social housing" and "social medicine," probably a consequence of your country's tragic history during the Cold War, would imagine many Americans would be suspicious of "social medicine," might see it as the thin end of the wedge for a full on Soviet-style takeover or something. And so Americans die on average about five years younger than most Europeans.
It's the same with housing. In America you hear a lot about "affordable housing" that many poor people can barely afford to rent because of your free market system where everything's up for sale. And so there in the "Land of the Free" you see homeless people pretty much wall-to-wall.
Homeless people should be free to help themselves a la your town's famous Dignity Village.
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This will sound ridiculous to some, but we have an obsession with homelessness in Oregon. If you build it, 'they' will come... . Homelessness is part of (mainly Portland) culture. The grunge never died, the kids are still on the streets. Some of us are so in love with the homeless we don't even truly want it to ease up. We need the cause. We need to feed hungry mouths. We are in love with the contrast, we think the homeless are sort of the dive bar of the street. They give us 'cred.' What would the gentrification criers do with out the homeless population?
Homeless people are edgy. They are rustic. They go with the brick ovens, the plaids, and the artisan breads. We think homeless people are authentic and everyone in the burbs is a sellout. We don't want our own Times Square. We need to feel powerfully subversive. We don't want to be like other cities. All of us here on the periphery. With our rainy skies and gloomy streets. Long live the homeless!
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The politicians I'm sure worry about the "Mecca effect" of places like Dignity Village but there it's more like "If you let them build it, they will come."
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So often we focus on the behavior of the people who are homeless and responsiveness of the services that we fund to the system. But at the core of the problem is the basic issue of the supply of housing. If there is a shortage of food or water, the weakest and most vulnerable in any group will be the first to go hungry or thirsty and they will become weaker and more vulnerable. In the homeless context, this tranlates as follows:
With a limited supply of housing that is affordable, folks with disabilities, addictions and social functioning issues will be the first to go without housing. Life on the streets will weaken them physically and will make it even harder for them to compete in a tightening housing market. Until we recognize this and develop enough housing at the right price point and that will allow in folks with black marks on their record, we will continue to lock out the people we label chronically homeless. It is, at base, a problem related to the supply of housing.
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Some of what was originally built as "affordable housing" for the poor was just too damn attractive and now commands a nice price from the middle class!
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I may not have the correct information but it seems that PDX has only 800-900 "beds" for the homeless. Yet, in a place like Salt Lake City, there are 800 beds available with only half the population. Does anyone know how PDX compares to other metroplitan areas in regard to shelter beds? I am surprised if this is the case since PDX seems more progressive in many other areas...
I also have another question. Whenever I talk to people about the homeless population, they will inevitably mention the "homeless panhandler" who earned $30,000 tax free -- what is being done to enlighten people about the plight of the homeless population. It seems to me the general population needs a whole lot more education if we are to address the problem in an adequate way because there will never be support to fund services as long as most people hold those views.
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go to broadway and weidler, sit there and watch the blonde guy. I guarantee you , every day, without fail, he will either get in a car for "shift change" being releived by another guy who will pick up the same sign, or, i guarantee he will walk down to the bus stop, get on a bus, and go "home" at the end of his shift, wherever home is.
I have seen much that is disheartening in the area where i work. There is a triangular park area off of mlk . i personally witnessed a couple come out of the weeds where they had slept. The woman pushed the wheelchair they had out of the brush. She then sat in it, her partner wrapped her leg in some dirty towels, handed her a cardboard sign, and pushed her to the corner previously mentioned. There is a wheelchair company near here that throws away old broken chairs, crutches, etc, those often end up being "props", as if it were stage acting.
I personally saw this, along with everyone else in our office. We were floored.
While i am aware that there are alot of people out there who need the help, i am also very aware that there are those who have chosen this lifestyle, and or, made some poor choices along the way.
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Those 800 "beds" in fact include mats on the floor and are only available during the colder months in places like the Portland Rescue Mission.
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Some of those 800 "beds" are in fact mats on the floor and are only available in places like the Portland Rescue Mission in the colder months when the homeless grist for the homelessness mill might otherwise perish due to neglect.
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In the guest's opinion, does any American city provide a really good model for homeless services?
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There is not nearly enough money to help all the homeless with high cost housing and social programs. It isn't good for any person (homeless or otherwise) to NOT ask them to work in some way toward self-support.
There needs to be more emphasis on work programs locally. Opportunities for self support are lacking. The largest segment of the homeless population are the newly homeless. Most just want to work again! Since the federal money is not enough to create enough jobs, and we're told to expect a "jobless recovery", Portland in cooperation with local counties should consider (re-) developing sustainable farms to provide part time work and housing for the homeless. This can be done at very low cost on idle public lands. Part time work and self-support will give them dignity.
Local charities and churches are being stressed by the fast growing numbers. If the economy isn't creating green jobs, then let's re-establish 'poor farms' with training and skills certification opportunities. Facilitating self-support for all who are willing to work should be our approach.
And what about this anti-camping law in the meantime? There's no where for most of these people can go, and it is illegal to put up a tent on public lands anywhere in the city. They need a place to go where they have a right to be.
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Well, another Dignity Village might not be a bad idea. There's plenty of work out there building houses and tending gardens, doing security work, office work.
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How does the Bureau of Housing prioritize funding and resources for ending homelessness programs vs afforadable housing programs? And what can Oregonians do to help those experiencing homelessness?
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Well, the first consideration is probably the salaries of the people running the programs
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I want to say how lucky we are here in PDX to have Nick Fish and Israel Bayer working on this horrible problem which most observers understand began with Pres. Reagan's policies -help the rich, demonize and push down the poor.
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Big up Iz and Nick!
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Since human history began, people wanted to enslave other people-- maybe for economic reasons (cheap labor: you work for me) or for ego reasons (I speak, you jump). You can think of lots of other reasons.
For most of the history of civilization, this has been done with force of violence: do as I say or I'll kill you with my sword. In recent times civilized people reject the violence (Hitler, Stalin, World War 2). So now we do it with threat of homelessness: do as I say or we'll take away your home and you'll die when the weather gets cold.
We all seem to accept the "normal distribution" where there are some very wealthy at the top and some poor at the bottom. Most of us are "comfortable" in the middle.I don't have a point, the above is just an observation.
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Welcome to America, Jose
Where the wage you earn is fifty bucks a day
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I hesitate to say anything, as I will invariably seem like the nut who's here to spoil the party, but: I do not see how efforts to end homelessness can be separated from a fight against capitalism, a system in which outrageous inequities, injustices and attacks on democratic rights are necessary ingredients. Certainly the work being done by the participants is sincere and worthy as far as it goes, but it doesn't go nearly far enough. It is time for working people to take the longer view, a historical one, and come to grips with the fact that capitalism -- a system enthusiastically supported by the Obama administration -- does not represent the "end" of history. A better world is possible, and we must take it upon ourselves to find a way toward it. From a historical and ecological point of view, capitalism cannot survive. From a moral point of view, it should not survive.
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I agree, but what system will replace it? If you say there is an inherent flaw with capitalism, I think you must also say there is an inherent flaw with democracy in general. Because you cannot rely on the whims of the collective average anymore then you can rely on the market to make the 'right' decisions. Aren't they all a crapshoot?
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Scottmil's comment IS ridiculous. I can't imagine that he lives downtown where he has to encounter homeless people multiple times a day, sometimes even on his very doorstep. So far I've heard no mention of the street people who don't want any services. Kids known as "road warriors" travel from city to city and pandhandle aggressively; they're loud, they're pushy, their large dogs are frightening to our small dog when we are out walking it, and even to us. And they come to Portland because they know they won't be hassled. The "sit-lie" ordinance didn't stand up in court, city police are too busy with other matters, and business-financed security officers only cover certain blocks and neighborhoods. And yes, homeless people DO choose one city over another; my wife overheard a homeless man telling another one that police made life so unpleasant for him in New Orleans that he made his way to Portland, which has a national reputation for being soft on people on the street.
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Actually, I do live downtown! My comment was sarcastic. Believe me there are many foolish people who view the homeless as pets. And wouldn't no what to do with themselves if the streets of Portland were 'cleaned up.' We are in love with victimization. The homeless help us 'keep it real.' We romanticize them. It is not ridiculous. It is our way of life. It isn't just an economic problem. It is also a cultural problem.
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Scott, thanks for replying. Your response, I think, presupposes a position that I did not take: That it is somehow possible to attain a flawless, perfectly ordered society. Capitalism is a "crapshoot" only to the extent that you will have a few winners and a lot of losers. It is a system where the market is exclusively oriented toward a fundamentally un-democratic goal: that a few make a vast amount of profit, at the expense of the majority that actually creates the wealth. Capitalism is not forever. It must be replaced by a system that is totally oriented toward the actual, objective needs of human beings. It is not necessary that Montsano makes billions of dollars for the few; what is necessary is that everyone have nutritious food to eat, and that it is produced in an ecologically sustainable manner. Call it whatever you like.
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Well, yes, but, what is that system? It is hard to go toward something when you have no idea what that something is. You suggest there is a better world to be found, I guess I wonder how you can be so sure? Especially without knowing how to do 'it,' or without even knowing what that 'it' is, that we are trying to achieve. I don't think I presupposed anything that you did not.
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Ah, the Mecca effect. Be careful not to confuse "capitalism" with "democracy."
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I think one thing we need to address is our prison system. When individuals with drug or alcohol issues are arrested, they are thrown into prison. For the most part, their addictions go untreated. What would be more productive is if we had rehabilitation centers where we sent people instead of jail. Of course not everyone would be able to overcome their addiction, but for many it would provide the tools to battle something that causes the majority of homelessness.
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Are the majority of the homeless addicts? You might be surprised to find that substance abuse problems are pretty uniform across society.
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This show reminds me of a story I read about a Peace Corps volunteer's first day in a Papua New Guinea village. He was showing pictures of back home in Chicago, and the people were baffled by a particular photo showing a homeless man sitting in front of a luxurious highrise building, with well-dressed people walking past him.
The villagers were very disturbed by this, but the volunteer explained that this was just how it was. Early the next morning, there was a loud knock on his door. He opened the door to find a group of men who'd stayed up on all night consulting on this disturbing issue, and they'd come to a conclusion: if the U.S. government wouldn't help this man, they could just send him to this village and they would make sure he had a home and even fruit trees to feed himself and a couple of chickens to start making a living.
This is a profound story. Homelessness is not universal or inevitable, it is a cultural anomaly.
People need to be given a place, not just physically to live, but a place in society. Too many people are kept outside of our society and feel they have no stake, no part in it all. This is a shame for the emotional and spiritual effect it has on the homeless, and it is also a waste of human capital.
I'd like to hear more about how homeless people are not just being helped off the streets but also are being helped to feel (and be) productive and helpful, with a positive role in society, not just getting by.
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In Eugene, an organization is trying to help the homeless. Free People organizes events and reaches out to the homeless in this community.
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Homelessness is a hard concept for Africans to get their heads around also.
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There will always be those that do not want to come to shelters. This does not mean they do not want to improve their individual situations. Once trust is established then you can begin to show them ways to be empowered for change. Many times it's process of learning why they have abandon their family support systems and helping them mend those relationships.
R. Berg
Bend
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R. Berg,
Re: your comment: "Many times it's process of learning why they have abandon their family support systems and helping them mend those relationships."
You are right on. This is the case with a homeless person we are helping out right now--but he won't face the issues or talk about them, and over the years (he abandoned his family years ago, and blames his birth family for everything) has developed a complicated system of rationalization for his dependent behaviors. How does one help someone like this? If you speak plainly (and supportively) to him, but say something he doesn't want to hear or respond to, he just clams up and refuses to play. And he seems to really enjoy his "freedom", although it doesn't seem so "free" when it's not going his way...
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How right you are! The single-sex mass warehousing of human beings isn't that attractive to most people.
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The Oregon Legislature did pass the Housing Opportunity Bill which does provide a dedicated stream of revenue for housing. $15 on each recorded real estate transaction. Projected revenue $15 m in 2009-11.
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Wonder where the money goes?
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Scott, it seems to me that I'm being clear enough about the system I believe we should move toward. What you clearly want is a label, a name. You want it compartmentalized. Why is that important? I could say "socialism," but that word is so weighted with the baggage of 20th century disasters in which tyrants and mass murderers declared that they had "implemented" the ideals of Marx that virtually everyone today believes that "socialism" was "tried" in the Soviet Union, or that it exists in China or Cuba, and that, in the case of Russia, it "failed," and so we really don't need to talk about it anymore. Marx would have been as horrified by what happened in Russia as Jesus would be by what modern-day "Christianity" has become. I realize that's a different discussion. But with capitalism on its current trajectory -- not only economically, but politically and ecologically -- I think it is a discussion we ought to be having. No, it is the discussion we ought to be having, but there are obvious difficulties. Not the least of which is that we currently have a large number of people in this country who, amazingly, think that Obama is a "socialist."
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No matter how good hearted Obama is and how much he would like to see his countrymen with universal healthcare, he may not be able to achieve that aim as he has the views of the WHOLE of his constituency to answer to.
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I think to end the homeless problems starts long before the homelessness starts. When people exspecially single men are in need of help to stay indoors the help is non exisitant. Public and private assistance is only geared to help once your on the streets!
Because of this we build the homeless population, making numbers to show how bad the problem is instead of prevention. The city and state could make some job positions to help out, the positions normally are high pay/ high education or my faverite volunteer. Turning some volunteer jobs to minimum wage could put someone to work. We pay for assistants for all kinds of jobs.
Lack of funding in non profits make it hard to keep good programs. When volunteers cant keep their bills paid and the roof over their heads it makes it impossible to keep volunterring. So another program down or just not able to start. The next time your thinking about the where to put your IRA interst, think about investing in people! Not your stock broker! People can let you down (sure). People can give you a return on your money that just more money cant!
When it all boils down ALL THAT MATTERS IS PEOPLE!
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This comment has been removed by the TOL staff.
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My credentials: I have been close to a chronically homeless person for 11 years. He is 54 years old now, alcoholic, bipolar, and a host of other diagnoses. You wouldn't know it, though, to meet him: he is articulate, well-groomed, funny, charming, and polite.
Over the past 11 years, he has been housed in six "permanent" housing situations with social service agencies here in Portland and 3 other cities, and at least three long-term "transitional" housing situations while waiting for permanent housing.
He was evicted from every one of those six permanent apartments. Why can't he stay housed? Because of his own behavior. He didn't even do anything that terrible: he got drunk, he behaved irrationally, he was arrested for shoplifting (not for food to get by; he was stealing luxury items from a department store).
Shortage of housing is not the root of the problem. It's much deeper than that, and to simplify it to that level doesn't fool anyone, least of all a public that wants to know where it's taxes are going.
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Comments are now closed.
We could reduce and eliminate chronic homelessness by restoring social safety nets that prevent people from falling through cracks. We need to make more jobs so the functional homeless can support themselves. Wealth needs to be redistributed so people can afford to live successfully. Too few rich have too much wealth which doesn't recirculate back into society. Tax system should be reformed so that all of us pay a little instead of a few of us paying a lot. Government can be reformed so people receive attention in preference to powerful corporate self interest. Individuals can reform their thinking. It's not enough to say "me first, screw everybody else." We live in a society that works better if everybody is actually doing better.