A Few Thoughts about Homelessness

My wife and I saw a young homeless man being confronted by two police officers in Seaside, Oregon. The officers were polite, but adamant. The young man was having a negative impact on a convenience store before which he was sitting and the proprietor had clearly made a call to complain. 

After some words and a demand that he move along, the young man put a cigarette to his lips and stood up. His frustration and anger were evident. He expressed his ire with a curse or two, then gathered up his blanket and a few possessions and wandered off to seek another space in which to rest. 

The officers remained to clean up some of the litter left behind and remained calm in the context of this encounter. For all three, this was clearly not a new experience. Rather, it was a ritual that they all knew would likely be repeated elsewhere.

In Portland, where I live, these encounters, sadly, have become commonplace. Young people, who may not be older than our adult sons, are living in encampments or sleeping under highway overpasses…or even staking out a small piece of local green-space and trying to survive. Young people, many of whom have been rejected by their families as they have come out as LGBTQ, may also find themselves on the street as they drift into our urban community. Additionally, many elders are struggling to survive as local rents are rising or as health expenses are mounting. 

I try, always, to be aware of the humanity of these suffering individuals. On my way to meet friends for lunch, I passed a young man sleeping on the sidewalk. Maybe he was drunk or intoxicated by opiates…maybe he was not. His breathing was regular. His circumstances were dire. 

I have seen people freebasing narcotics next to the synagogue where I pray. I have observed others behaving aggressively as they walk through traffic with no mindfulness of the risks they face. With great regularity, I have observed people holding signs begging for help. My wife and I keep dollar bills in our car to try and help with a bit of kindness. “Thank you. God bless you,” they say.  But, a dollar here and there does not solve the problem.

Something awful is happening to this place that I love. Not enough is being done. Our local leaders seem to be bickering more than solving problems. The need for compassion is not enough. It’s high time for a plan. It’s time for action. 

We need to tell the truth. These problems were predictable and they reflect policy mistakes in our past. In the 1980s under the Reagan administration, many states de-institutionalized the response to mental health disorders. It was thought that community-based care was more humane. But, the resources did not follow the mentally ill into the community.

More recently, the predictions of a tsunami of elders did not go hand in hand with adequate planning. A significant portion of the aging boomer population were unable to save for their retirement. As housing costs have risen and as healthcare problems occur, many are finding themselves unable to remain in their apartments or homes. Yes, it takes time to build more housing. So, what are we waiting for?

In addition, the failure to manage drug treatment in a more permissive society presents a public health risk that is astounding to see. We must recognize that desperate people do desperate things. (If you are living on the street and someone offers you a drug that might get you through the night, what would you do?) We need to make significant investments in drug treatment, harm reduction and mental health services. 

Yes, there are some signs of hope. Some cities are bringing together leaders from the business, social service and justice communities in an effort to respond to this homelessness morass. The linkage of affordable housing with health and social services…and the use of low-income housing tax credits shows some promise in helping to respond to this problem. Our Governor, Tina Kotek, has organized a task force which is heavy on business participation but needs input from the justice system, care providers and the health care system. But this is an ongoing problem and is not being resolved with the speed that a crisis demands. We need to stop repeating our mistakes and TAKE ACTION.

We live in the richest country in the world. There is more that we can do and the problem is urgent. We need to demand a higher level of both compassion and accountability from civic leaders.