It is known that there are a large number of organizations (both private and public) working tirelessly to remedy the issue of homelessness in the Portland-metro area. At first glance, it may appear as if their efforts have been futile thus far. Just by taking a stroll through Chinatown, one can observe the alarmingly high amount of homeless individuals lining the sidewalks and taking refuge in public parks. Since 2013, however, the once increasing number of homeless individuals has not only ground to a screeching halt, but also began to steadily decrease, according to a study of homelessness trends of the last three years. Granted, the decrease has been less than one percent, but it is a step in the right direction to solve this once worsening problem. It would seem as though the work put in by so many individuals over the years has finally paid off.
This is all well and good until you consider that there has been an explosion in the proportion of homeless families and minorities. Wealthy individuals have found Northeast Portland an attractive place to live and this has caused property values to increase substantially, leading to many of the traditional residents to be priced out of the area. The steep increase in housing prices caused by gentrification combined with the decrease in pay for unskilled laborers (when adjusted for inflation) seems to be the culprit behind this concerning trend. Furthermore, the market for unskilled labor in Oregon has yet to recover from the Great Recession of 2008, adding fuel to the fire that is beginning to consume individuals on the lower steps of the economic-ladder. So before we start patting ourselves on the back, we need to realize that there is still much work to be done and that there is still a difference to be made.
-Matthew Warren Eggiman I
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