Oregon homeless figure tops nation (July 13) (Portland, Bend: unemployment rate, bankruptcy, living in)

[brubaker]

Sorry if this has been covered before...I did a search for 'homeless' and got nothing.

Oregon homeless figure tops nation - KTVZ.com Central Oregons News, Weather and Sports Leader -

By Amy Easley, KTVZ.COM

"Oregon has the highest proportion of homeless people in the nation, according to a new report issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development...."


Why?

Why are the homeless attracted to Oregon ...why are more native Oregonians homeless?

Any thoughts?

[seashelly]

Here's my thoughts: Mild year round weather and lots of bridges and trees to sleep under to stay dry when it does rain probably attracts the street people.

[Minervah]

If you read the Portland Tribune every week they have stories about homeless people. Most of us think the homeless consist of druggies, runaways, mentally challenged, starry-eyed young people from other parts of the country who move here without a plan and so on. But there are also middle class folks living out of their cars and I believe that number is growing.

I think many people living in other states who have stable jobs decide the grass is literally greener and decide to move for that reason. They feel that their vast knowledge of computers, their success in their present jobs, their high-level skills will get them jobs here. Just peruse this website to find the "I have a teaching degree," "I am in computers," "I am in management" "I have experience in everything and will take anything" and so forth. They cannot grasp the fact that for every one of them there are 100 more like them all competing for the same jobs.

I think these are growing class of homeless people adding to those who are already there.

[PNW-type-gal]

Definitely directly related to high unemployment, something we're also toward the top in right now.

[Waterlily]

Yes high unemployment is a large part of the cause for this. There are also people still moving to Oregon without jobs. Some of you may have read this in one of your newspapers
The World Link : Bend: 'poverty with a view' (http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2009/07/20/news/doc4a64b387adbd8845924509.txt - broken link)
They say that Bend,Oregon seems to importing the unemployed.

[brubaker]

Google - public data
I posted this before, but for those that may have missed it...

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If people are moving there thinking they'll get a job...aren't they spending money too? That should create *some* revenue.
Increased population is usually a great thing for the local economy (says the guy who lives in Austin).

And Washington and California's Unemployment Rate isn't as bad as Oregon's.
They have nice, mild climates too.

Not that I disagree it just still seems mysterious to me...there must be something more.

[fizbin]

Originally Posted by seashelly

Here's my thoughts: Mild year round weather and lots of bridges and trees to sleep under to stay dry when it does rain probably attracts the street people.

California has better weather so it is not just that.

High unemployment plus (just guessing here, I have no idea) good social services that attract out-of-staters??

[backdrifter]

I think the culture is more tolerant of it here. That and we have just about the highest unemployment.

I don't think our social services are any better than other places. California's services WERE better until recently with the budget crises they've been facing... I can't believe some of the dumb sh*t (state programs) that California's government was paying for, for a while. It was ridiculous and it's no wonder they're on the verge of bankruptcy.

But anyway, I think just mainly the economy. Oregon's is the worst on the West Coast. And we attract tons of new people all the time too. Not a good combo.

[Newdaawn]

The homeless are increasing everywhere. The area I live in mid-Maine has 910 beds available per week and for the first time the other day they recorded in the daily paper that all 910 were filled during that week. This is the first time this has ever happend - even in the winter months. I imagine they will have to add more, if that is possible as winter approaches.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Newdaawn

The homeless are increasing everywhere. The area I live in mid-Maine has 910 beds available per week and for the first time the other day they recorded in the daily paper that all 910 were filled during that week. This is the first time this has ever happend - even in the winter months. I imagine they will have to add more, if that is possible as winter approaches.

That's true but people are not flocking to Maine as they are Oregon. What I can't understand is why people want to come here now, without a job, and run the risk of being homeless. I wouldn't move any place right now as long as I have a job and the economy is so bad most places.