Portland’s homeless issue proves Seattle, King County aren’t alone

Maybe Seattle and King County homeless advocates shouldn’t feel too glum about being unable to meet their goal of ending homelessness.

Other cities around the country have also continued to struggle with rising homeless populations, including Portland, which is now in a housing emergency.

The Portland City Council declared an emergency Oct. 7, The Oregonian reports. It will allow the city to “fast track” its efforts to provide shelter for homeless people, Marc Jolin told KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross. The emergency declaration also provides about $30 million toward shelter and permanent housing options. Jolin said providing housing is the solution.

Related: Seattle mayor rolls out ‘grand’ affordable housing plan

“That really is the crux of the problem,” he explained. “When people are looking for permanent housing, there is often not enough emergency shelter or safe sleeping options.”

There is a “historically” low vacancy rate in Portland. That, combined with significant rental costs, is making it tough for people earning low wages to afford housing. Sound familiar?

In Seattle, rental housing and apartment rates have jumped about one-third since 2009, while income has increased less than 30 percent. It’s at least one reason why Seattle City Council members have fought for some kind of rent control and to stop landlords from raising rent on inadequate units. The cost of living in Seattle may also be partially to blame for why the Committee to End Homelessness is no longer trying to end all homelessness and decided to change its name.

One reason it might be so difficult to find cheap housing these days is because the country decided “slums” weren’t fit for society, Dave Ross suggested. Every society has them, but in America, cheap housing that may not be maintained as well as high-end apartments are unwelcome. Then the landlord is deemed a slumlord and they are chased out, Ross said.

“Now we have another tent by the highway,” he added. “It’s almost a nomadic existence. You clean out the campers along I-5 and they crop up at I-90.”

Even though Portland can have more than 1,800 people sleeping without shelter in a single night, it hasn’t stopped advocates and the city from trying to do something. Jolin is convinced that decent, quality low-cost housing can be provided if people stay committed. And safety and standards don’t have to be lowered to do it, he said.

Though “most” communities that adopted a 10-year-type homeless plan did not reach their goal of ending homelessness, Jolin said the effort still has “substantial benefits.”