News
The Davos-annoying, billionaire-baiting, tax-loving Rutger Bregman
“We gotta be talking about taxes. Taxes, taxes, taxes. All the rest is bullshit in my opinion.” It was with this outburst, delivered at the annual billionaires’ get-together in Davos, Switzerland, in January, that Rutger Bregman went from moderately well-known Dutch historian to an overnight viral sensation and possible savior of the world. In 2017,…
Cities can’t criminalize homelessness: Appeals court upholds ruling
Local governments will have a harder time forcing homeless people out of public spaces after a ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that government cannot criminalize homeless people for surviving in public without providing alternative places for them to go. On April 1, judges on the 9th Circuit in Portland upheld a…
Housing
Historic boarding house fills need for modern homelessness in Astoria
In November, Helping Hands, a reentry and outreach nonprofit serving those who are experiencing homelessness, opened an Astoria facility. It was full within its first weekend and taking referrals. Alan Evans, the organization’s executive director, said the new facility was part of a restructuring the organization underwent at the end of last year, shifting services…
Life on the Streets: You have to wait in line constantly
Waiting in line sucks. We’ve all had to do it, and we will again. It’s exasperating and humbling, and it robs us of a precious, finite commodity: time. But when you are living in poverty and in need of the basic tools of survival, such as food, shelter, health care and access to hygiene, the…
NW Oregon coastal residents being priced out of homes, study confirms
It isn’t that there is a shortage of housing in Northwest Oregon’s Clatsop County; it is that a lot of the housing is out of reach to year-round residents. Preliminary results from a housing study conducted by Portland consulting firm Johnson Economics confirms what many residents could already feel: People are being priced out of…
Martin v. Boise confronts excuses about homelessness, demands action
Americans have a powerful and unique urge to blame homeless people for their own circumstances. This common misperception — that people choose to be homeless — is too often reflected in our laws and seems to absolve us of the urgent need to act. According to a recent survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors,…
Cities can’t criminalize homelessness: Appeals court upholds ruling
Local governments will have a harder time forcing homeless people out of public spaces after a ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that government cannot criminalize homeless people for surviving in public without providing alternative places for them to go. On April 1, judges on the 9th Circuit in Portland upheld a…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: An adventurer at heart
Robin Graham is an adventurous spirit. “There’s nothing holding me down, so I can go anywhere and do anything,” he said with a warm smile. Robin grew up with 10 siblings, so as an adult, he values peace and quiet. “I like being alone, where I can hear my own thoughts,” he said. Robin came…
Opinion
Decades of Street Roots advocacy resonate in exhibit
I walked up three stories of Central Library marble staircases, across woolen carpet woven with roses, to reach “Get It On Paper,” an exhibit reflecting on 20 years of Street Roots, curated by Portland State University’s public history program. Since this past summer, Professor Patricia Schechter and students Tanner Tombleson and Meg Shuhosky have thumbed…
Potty oppression: How city planners neglect public restrooms
What makes a city livable? Urban planners talk about public spaces, pedestrian access, good transit, parks and more. But they almost never talk about public toilets. And that, says journalist and author Lezlie Lowe, is a problem. As she puts it, “Public bathrooms are private spaces that reveal public truths.” Public toilets usually come up…
Martin v. Boise confronts excuses about homelessness, demands action
Americans have a powerful and unique urge to blame homeless people for their own circumstances. This common misperception — that people choose to be homeless — is too often reflected in our laws and seems to absolve us of the urgent need to act. According to a recent survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors,…
