homelessness2023

[homelessness2023]

sad

[homelessness2023]

Help the Homeless

Homelessness has become such a huge crisis across the United States, and Portland Oregon has gotten to be the worst it has ever been. To see all the individuals living on the streets in tents, shopping carts and boxes just struggling to find shelter, food and basic necessities is just heartbreaking. This problem is not only affecting those that are homeless but also has many consequences for the community of Portland. I think the main issue for homelessness in Portland is the lack of affordable housing. It's really hard for a lot of individuals and families to get secure housing because of the rising cost of living. Because of the high cost sometimes individuals have no choice but to live on the streets. Then that causes other issues such as mental health and substance abuse. The impact of homelessness goes way beyond just affecting the people who are homeless but it also affects the community of Portland as well. Homelessness most likely leads to increased crime rates and unsafe environments. There are health risks because of the unsanitary conditions for both the homeless and the residents. Some businesses may lose business if they have homeless individuals living on their streets due to the feeling unsafe in the neighborhood. If this issue does not get resolved or if there is not some kind of solution to this problem it will impact the community greatly. For one it will put a huge strain on public resources and services, because the more individuals that become homeless means there will always be an increase demand for social services and emergency shelters. Which would make the waiting list longer and individuals won't get the proper assistance that is needed. Homelessness will also have a negative impact on the education system for Portland. The children that are impacted by being homeless will have many challenges and will struggle with academic success or not even be able to attend school at all. Caring about helping the individuals that are struggling and individuals that are living on the street shows our compassion and empathy that this could actually happen to anyone. By giving assistance and showing resources to the homeless population throughout Portland, maybe we can break the cycle of poverty and help kids stay in school and lower crime rates due to homelessness. In this article it really describes the chaos in Portland Oregon. "Now, though, Blumenauner, bikes through the city and sees piles of garbage and people unable to cope with their afflictions. He hears about sharply rising gun violence. His car's Catalytic converter, like many others, was ripped out by thieves."

References: VanderHart, D. (2022, May 13). Everybody hates Portland: The City's compounding crises are an X-factor this year. opb.org/article/2022/05/13/portland-oregon-crime-homelessness-gloom-election-politics/