Archive for category: Frontpage Article

Every other year the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires communities that receive its funding, which we do here in Multnomah County - to conduct a count of people experiencing homelessness according to its definition (in short, people living on the street, in shelters, or transitional housing). It is not a perfect tool to understand the state of homelessness in our community, but it does generate useful data that we can learn from. The 2019 count was conducted in January and released in early August. You'll find the report here. We reviewed it and have some thoughts about what it says: 

• Families are homeless in unique (hard to count) ways. We work with mostly with families, so the fact that homelessness among families with dependent children is down in this year’s count is of course great news. However, the data is limited in a variety of ways, so while we find it useful, we rely more on our day-to-day experience working with families who are either experiencing homelessness or on the verge of it. The demand for our services among those two groups remains very high. The 211 wait list is a fair indicator of need for services among families, and it is hovering around 600 right now. And with families in particular, they tend to double up with friends and family when they are homeless, which makes them very hard to count in a count like this. When a report like this comes out, it’s important to remember how hard it is for so many families to stay afloat with housing costs so high and wages not keeping up. They may not show up in a count like this, but they are struggling.
• People of Color are over-represented. In many ways this report proves what we know, especially when it comes to the demographics of who is experiencing homelessness in our community. People of Color have been and continue to be over-represented among those experiencing homelessness, for reasons we know all too well: historic (and ongoing) racism, sky-high wealth inequality, long-term barriers to housing, unequal pay, and the list goes on. Many providers, like Human Solutions, are (and have been) very aware of this and, as a result, tailor our programs and staffing to meet the specific needs of marginalized, historically oppressed communities. We’re also focusing on policy change that removes barriers, like updating rental screening barriers and enabling more justice record expungement.
• What you see on the streets. Those of us working in this area have long known that our community lacks enough permanent supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness, which translates to the many people we all see every day living in places unfit for human habitation. The good news is that voters and our local governments have recently prioritized this type of housing, so in time we think fewer of our neighbors will be unsheltered. This investment comes too late, but we’re hopeful about its impact.
• Programs are working, but aren’t sufficient. Human Solutions’ programs to help people find housing security are working, but to solve the problem we need more funding to meet the current need (we routinely turn people away for assistance due to insufficient funds) AND we need to stop the inflow of NEW people becoming homeless by addressing the region’s housing affordability crisis.
• Heartbreak and triumph. On this issue, it’s important to remember that there is both heartbreak AND triumph. What you see everyday as you go about your business may seem only like heartbreak. But in our line of work, we see a lot of triumph, too, where people who are homeless find a path back to housing security, and people who are at risk of homelessness hang onto their housing. Human Solutions’ role is to help folks through crisis moments and, increasingly, to fix the broken systems that send them there in the first place.

This report is both limited in its methodology and scope, but also rich with useful data. If you are interested in getting involved in our work to help people avoid and move past homelessness, please reach out to Christina, our Shelter Donations & Volunteer Coordinator: 503.278.1637 or via email.

Once again it’s been a busy month here at Human Solutions! Thanks to everyone for a very successful “Friends and Family” gathering at McMenamins’ Power Station Pub – we earned $3,000 because you came out to eat and enjoy each other’s company! We always appreciate the generous support of our local business community and your help in making that possible – thank you! Here are the top stories in our neck of the woods:

Introducing Lilac Meadows, our New Shelter for Families
We are thrilled to share the news with you that our emergency shelter program for families has found a new permanent home! In partnership with the Joint Office of Homeless Services, Human Solutions will be moving our program that supports families experiencing homelessness into a wonderful new shelter called Lilac Meadows in SE Portland, where the need is great.

To open Lilac Meadows, Multnomah County is “master leasing” an existing motel that we will update to best serve families experiencing homelessness. Human Solutions will sublease the motel from the County and operate it as a shelter. Residents of Lilac Meadows will enjoy the privacy that works best for families – something lacking in older-style mass shelters where everyone sleeps in the same room. We worked actively with the Joint Office of Homeless Services to identify a location that offers amenities families need, like a nearby park and grocery stores, access to public transit and ample parking.

In this new home, we can accommodate up to 40 families at a time. Human Solutions will provide families at Lilac Meadows with caring support, help accessing community services and assistance finding and securing their next permanent home. Our program at Lilac Meadows builds on our strong track record helping families find – and keep – permanent housing. Last year, 93% of the households we helped find housing remained housed a year later!

Learn more here and get info about how you can help by emailing Christina, our awesome volunteer and donations coordinator.

Meet Pat, She’s Working Hard to Move Back Home from Homelessness

Pat met her husband 48 years ago at Jefferson High School in NE Portland, where she later worked as a school secretary - one of three positions she held over a 37-year career! Together, they have three kids and now six grandchildren - with another on the way in Atlanta.

But in 2013 the wheels came off for Pat, as they sometimes can, one at a time. First a separation, which led to Pat losing her home of 50 years in NE Portland. Next, she moved in with her daughter. When that situation didn’t last, Pat moved into her car, where she lived for two years. Ultimately Pat was left with nothing but the clothes on her back. That was when she reached out for help. She found her way to Human Solutions’ Gresham Women’s Shelter, a safe, welcoming environment to get the support it takes to find a stable place to call home.

Pat is scheduled to move into her own place next month, which is terrific news! Her journey back to housing stability took a lot of hard work on her part - and expert support on ours.

Will you help those experiencing homelessness in our community – like Pat -move into stable housing? The value of your support is truly priceless. Your support helps us work with people like Pat to secure and keep their next home – a place to do everything from cooking favorite meals to hosting grandkids for a special sleepover with grandma. Home is a place for kids to do homework, cuddle up in a warm bed, eat their favorite family dishes, and to simply have a play date with a friend. On any given night, 130 households (about 210 people) stay in our two shelters. We want to help every one of our shelter residents find a safe and stable place to call home.

Just click here to say yes. With community support we can help Pat - and so many like her – move from homelessness to housing. Together, this is something we can do!

East County Update: Relevant Data & Conversations

Human Solutions has been working in East Portland/East Multnomah County since we opened our doors in 1988. It’s our home. We are paying close attention to the changes here and to how those changes will impact our neighbors. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion about the state of East Multnomah County – one of the poorest and most diverse areas in Oregon - and how we can move forward to ensure that current residents can thrive and resist the displacement projected as this area experiences redevelopment. Here are two data points that we are focusing on:

• 20% of households in the area live below the federal poverty level (on average, 2013-17). That’s higher compared to the state of Oregon (15%) and Portland metropolitan area (12%). For context, the federal poverty level is very low: $25,750 for a family of four, for example.
• 61% of renters are cost-burdened – which means they spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing – the limit that HUD research shows is affordable for any household. Further, 35% of renter households are “severely” cost-burdened, meaning more than half of their income is spent on rent. For these families, homelessness is a real threat every month because they simply cannot afford to pay rent and meet other essential household expenses like food and medication.

You can read more about the report and the forum here. This is an important conversation we plan to continue until real solutions are identified.

Good Read | MAID: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother’s Will to Survive

This mother’s experience with domestic violence, poverty, substandard housing, low-wage pay without benefits, and government subsidies (that helped but weren’t easy) is an important eye opener for those who have not walked in those shoes. And one thing we can surely use more of today is more time spent in others’ shoes. This challenging time in Stephanie Land’s life takes place in the Pacific Northwest, too, so the backdrop is familiar and reminds us how close to home all this is.

“Rent plus groceries plus utilities plus laundry plus insurance plus gas plus clothing minus an hourly paycheck of barely more than minimum wage and the scant assistance parceled out by the government with spectacular reluctance — the brute poetry of home economics recurs throughout Land’s book.”
Read a review here and reserve it at Multnomah County Library here.

Things We Need, Ways to Help
We depend on and are grateful for our generous community, which so often steps up when we put out the call. This month we have two priority needs:

• New Ovens: Our emergency women’s shelter needs a stove/oven upgrade and two new refrigerators. We estimate the cost to be around $10,000. We cook three meals every day for 90 women and 40 families, and our current equipment is no longer adequate and beginning to fail. Contact Marci, our Emergency Services Director if you are able to help.
• After-School Program Volunteers: Our after-school program, LearnLinks, depends on volunteers to chaperone local summer field trips with kids in kindergarten to 8th grade. Got some free time this summer? Like working with kids? Great! Get in touch with our program manager Tonya Parson to learn more: tparson@humansolutions.org or 503. 548.0210.

Thanks, as always, for reading and paying attention to what’s happening here in East Portland/East Multnomah County. The need for change and investment is urgent and we are glad to have you as part of the Human Solutions family as we work hard to fulfill our mission.

 ECONorthwest and the Portland Business Alliance recently released their annual Economic Check-Up produced bywas recently released. There continue to be positive signs overall for Portland even with a slowing economy, but the housing unit stock remain low.

This report not only identified the challenges this area is experiencing, but the opportunities to create equitable prosperity across the region… it is critical that every part of our region thrives.

- Andrew Yoan, president and CEO of the Portland Business Alliance said.

East Portland, however, continues to struggle from a growing population in the Portland Metro. 60 percent of renters in East Portland are cost-burdened (committing over 30% of their income to rent) and 35% are severely cost burdened (committing 50% of their income to rent).

Find the Economic Check-Up report here and hear interpretations of the information from Andy Miller, Human Solutions' Executive Director, along with a panel of experts in the Portland area here.

We are moving past the extreme cold weather, which is a relief for our community members trying to survive on the streets. Here's what's happening this month at Human Solutions:

JOIN US TONIGHT, APRIL 9TH!

We hope you’ll grab a bite to eat with us tonight (Tuesday, April 9^th) at McMenamins’ Power Station Pub @ Edgefield. All are welcome, including kids! McMenamins will generously donate 50% of the evening’s proceeds to Human Solutions (thank you, McMenamins!). What a fun way to support a good cause! Human Solutions' management and staff will be there to welcome and visit with supporters. We hope you can make it!

IT'S FAIR HOUSING MONTH!

The Fair Housing Council's 2019 Poster Contest winner. Created by student Jaytee Franko.

April is Fair Housing Month, and our partners at the Fair Housing Council of Oregon deserve a big shout out for the work they do every month to ensure that every Oregonian is treated fairly when they seek housing. The Council tells us that they are frequently asked, “Is discrimination really still a problem?" Their resounding answer to this question is “YES!” We invite you to take a spin around the Council’s informative web site to familiarize yourself with the law and how unlawful housing discrimination continues to impact Oregonians. If you have a question or a complaint related to illegal housing discrimination, call (800) 424-3247 ext. 2.The Fair Housing Council offers phone support in whatever language you need. The Council offers information and services for individuals and for folks in the housing industry to help them comply with the law.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: LIVING SOLUTIONS

We offer employment services to very-low and no-income adults seeking to boost their earnings and pursue living-wage careers. Living Solutions is one such program, with a focus on people who live in Gresham. Our career specialists provide one-on-one support to:

• identify career paths
• plan how to move forward toward a goal
• connect folks to skills training (think: healthcare, driving, construction)
• offer resume and interview coaching
• provide rent assistance when needed (it can be a challenge to pay the rent while in unpaid training programs!)
• supply new work clothes
• and more!

Half of the people we work with in this program come to us with no income at all (and some lack housing, which we help them with). The success rate is pretty impressive, with an average annual income boost of $15,000 and a 365% return on investment over a 6-year period. We’re grateful to the City of Gresham for the support they provide for this work.

WORK WITH US! WE’RE HIRING.

Human Solutions is a rewarding place to work. We’re hiring for a range of positions right now and encourage you to see if there might be a good fit for you or a friend. Take a look and spread the word!

NEW BOOK, LOCAL AUTHOR: “SURVIVAL MATH: GROWING UP BLACK IN PORTLAND”

Mitchell S. Jackson has a new book out. The topic he tackles, growing up black in Portland (not Portlandia, as he says) couldn’t be more relevant to the housing crisis and the way some people are more impacted than others – and always have been. Oregon Public Broadcasting recently shared a fascinating conversation with Mitchell as he and the host of “Think Out Loud” walked the streets of Mitchell’s childhood; a place where the show host now lives. You can listen here – and the book is available from our local library, which offers paper and e-reader versions.

For a national and historical perspective on racism in Portland, this Atlantic article from 2016 remains relevant.

Monthly Giving @ Human Solutions: Become a PATHBuilder Today!

Human Solutions’ PATHBuilders program is an excellent way to conveniently support the work we are doing to help people in our community get back on their feet in this housing crisis. If you believe, as we do, that everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home, this new program is a great way to be part of the solution. Sign up today! (Or call Matt on our team and he’ll help you get signed up: 503.548.0279)

Thank you for reading – and especially for caring about those in our community experiencing the devastating impacts of poverty and homelessness and wanting to change the broken policies that cause them.