‘OPB Politics Now’: How homelessness became a statewide crisis in Oregon

Facing an unexpected — and unprecedented — surge of tax dollars, Multnomah County commissioners approved a plan 4-1 Thursday to address some of the gaps in the region’s response to homelessness.

Solutions to the state’s homelessness crisis aren’t uniform, as they need to be tailored to each person’s specific needs. And any fixes will take collective action, public investment and considerable time to achieve, making the work anything by simple.

The path out of Oregon's homelessness crisis isn’t simple, nor is it direct. But solutions do exist. To uncover them, it’s important to first understand the origins of this crisis.