Early Signs Point to a Spike in Portland Homelessness Over the Past Two Years

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Not everyone can or wants to have big dogs. Not everyone has a BF to clear the way before they step outside to start their day. My 89-year old father may not be as able to set strong boundaries for the homeless as you and your BF are. Pretty sure there's at least one poster in this thread who's actually been homeless. No one here is blaming the homeless children for anything. You're not the only person here who may have known a homeless person or two in your time or to have worked in an agency that helped them. So your little brother slept on your couch? Hold my beer. I bought mine a house with cash.

I think a lot of long-term Portland residents have homeless fatigue. The situation just keeps getting worse and worse, nothing seems to be helping, and their city is literally being crapped on all over.

Try rezoning in order to expand supply. Except the NIMBYs will block that.

[CAjerseychick]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Not everyone can or wants to have big dogs. Not everyone has a BF to clear the way before they step outside to start their day. My 89-year old father may not be as able to set strong boundaries for the homeless as you and your BF are. Pretty sure there's at least one poster in this thread who's actually been homeless. No one here is blaming the homeless children for anything. You're not the only person here who may have known a homeless person or two in your time or to have worked in an agency that helped them. So your little brother slept on your couch? Hold my beer. I bought mine a house with cash.

I think a lot of long-term Portland residents have homeless fatigue. The situation just keeps getting worse and worse, nothing seems to be helping, and their city is literally being crapped on all over.

Not everyone owns their own seafood processing plant in Alaska either.

(Luckily my brother stepped out of my home to a nice job with bennies at Fit Bit, and is staying on the straight and narrow these days working his way diligently to stay in the middle class.
Having lived in SF for 24 year- ahhhh theres homeless there don'tcha know....
I work NOW with Portland's homeless, and most of them, and by far are Oregonians.

And I can tell you - with Medicare and Medicaid being the major payor, its a national problem. )

Distance and privilege, is all relative aint it?...

[Metlakatla]

I actually live in Oregon most of the time and sacrificed quite a bit to ensure my brother's (and society's) well-being. I also have an entirely separate career from seafood processing and take very little money from the plant, if that's any of your business. It wasn't so long ago that I worked in a homeless shelter in your area, so I do know something about it. I also rent to a senior lady who'd be priced out onto the street if I charged market value for the place, so I guess that's two potentially homeless people your BF won't have to clear out of your way in the morning, so sometimes whack-a-mole tactics have value.

Never said the majority of homeless weren't Oregonians (although I think it would be pretty impossible to get an authentic percentage of Oregonians to out-of-staters among the homeless population), never said that medical costs weren't an issue...never said that it wasn't a national problem, but I'm realistic enough to know that the current administration won't make it national priority.

Idk, maybe this "I know better than you and my experiences are more relevant" attitude is what people are talking about when they say they're tired of California refugees.

Anyway, back to my previous statement -- I really do think many Oregonians simply have homeless fatigue. When it first became a noticeable problem years ago, everyone wanted to help. Now, not so much. People just seem angry and tired because the problem just seems to be getting worse. Sometimes I think there isn't an answer; that it's just another sixth extinction event.

I was disappointed to read recently that Portland's Union Gospel Mission has some space available in a program designed to get people off the street and no takers.

[CAjerseychick]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I actually live in Oregon most of the time and sacrificed quite a bit to ensure my brother's (and society's) well-being. It wasn't so long ago that I worked in a homeless shelter in your area, so I do know something about it. I also rent to a senior lady who'd be priced out onto the street if I charged market value for the place, so I guess that's two potentially homeless people your BF won't have to clear out of your way in the morning, so sometimes whack-a-mole tactics have value.

Never said the majority of homeless weren't Oregonians (although I think it would be pretty impossible to get an authentic percentage of Oregonians to out-of-staters among the homeless population), never said that medical costs weren't an issue...never said that it wasn't a national problem, but I'm realistic enough to know that the current administration won't make it national priority.

Idk, maybe this "I know better than you and my experiences are more relevant" attitude is what people are talking about when they say they're tired of California refugees.

Anyway, back to my previous statement -- I really do think many Oregonians simply have homeless fatigue. When it first became a noticeable problem years ago, everyone wanted to help. Now, not so much. People just seem angry and tired because the problem just seems to be getting worse. Sometimes I think there isn't an answer; that it's just another sixth extinction event.

I was disappointed to read recently that Portland's Union Gospel Mission has some space available in a program designed to get people off the street and no takers.

My point is that people can blame liberal bleeding heart values all they want, but its a national problem that needs some help on the national level. (Yes I agree that the current admin - they only have 3 years to go, if we can get the vote out next time around- arent going to make anything except the Military industrial complex, and their family businesses a priority...)

And why blame Californians? their homeless problem has been going on for alot longer than Portlands(so why is Portlands homeless fatigue any different?), and I dont think it came up with them...

Maybe if we all help out when we can that can be a start, cant hurt (and no, giving out your bottles and cans to that elderly lady pushing a utility cart, isnt a bad thing)...

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by CAjerseychick

My point is that people can blame liberal bleeding heart values all they want, but its a national problem that needs some help on the national level. (Yes I agree that the current admin - they only have 3 years to go, if we can get the vote out next time around- arent going to make anything except the Military industrial complex, and their family businesses a priority...)

And why blame Californians? their homeless problem has been going on for alot longer than Portlands(so why is Portlands homeless fatigue any different?), and I dont think it came up with them...

Maybe if we all help out when we can that can be a start, cant hurt (and no, giving out your bottles and cans to that elderly lady pushing a utility cart, isnt a bad thing)...

I didn't blame Californians for the homeless. I don't think you understand much of what I've been saying.

[Metlakatla]

And honestly, it's seems disrespectful to quip that you deal with the homeless problem because you've got two big dogs and your BF to protect you and that others shouldn't complain.

There is plenty of help available for the homeless in Portland, and I don't buy products that come in bottles and cans.

And why blame Californians? their homeless problem has been going on for alot longer than Portlands(so why is Portlands homeless fatigue any different?)

Did I say it was any different? I'm just trying to provide a partial explanation as to why people don't seem as receptive as you'd obviously like them to be about the problem. People get hardened to stuff; that's human nature, and I've seen it happen over the years with Oregon residents concerning the homeless situation. I can't and won't compare it to California because guess what -- not everything is relevant to California.

Whether it's intentional or not, you've been coming across as if your thoughts, experiences, and opinions are more relevant than others because you're in Portland NOW (sorry, but context is important). And there's the constant "but in California"...you seem to want to argue even with those who essentially agree with you.