It’s not easy being homeless. Just imagine.
A student asked me this week why some of the homeless camps are so hard to keep clean.
I asked the student to imagine: The entire world stepped inside your home at this very moment. Not just anyone, but everyone. The evening news, elected officials, neighbors and friends. Strangers took photos of you and all your belongings, especially your mess. I hope you’re presentable. They ask you questions about how you’re living and if you chose the life you live.
Some guy in a uniform asks to go through all your stuff. Is your bathroom clean, the kitchen, your bedroom? What’s in your bathroom cabinets? Do you have a prescription for those? We’re going to need to see that now. I hope you took the trash out already. I really hope you aren’t sneaking a toke of marijuana. God help you if you have any extra bike parts lying around your home or garage.
All of this, of course, will be aired tonight on the evening news. It will be written about in tomorrow’s paper. Experts and strangers will weigh in and comment on your behavior and your lifestyle. Are you deserving of your home or not so much?
Now imagine doing all of that each and every day with only a tent, if you’re lucky and a hand full of belongings. You will have no access to running water or a working toilet. No electricity. No trash pick up. No access to a safe place to call home. Nothing. Most likely it will be hard to sleep. You’ll be wet, and anyone at any time could come unannounced and wake you up. Best-case scenario, strangers want to help you. Worst case, they are there to harm you.
You are a refugee in a modern land. Cast out for the world to see. How would the world feel about you and the way you’re living?
My point is, it sucks to be homeless. Some people think that it’s easy in Portland. They are wrong.
I recently had the chance to volunteer with Free Hot Soup, a group of local Portlanders who volunteer each week doing mobile outreach to homeless camps throughout Portland. It was inspiring to know that so many unsung heroes go out every night to make sure people are safe. But it wasn’t a walk in the park. It’s hard times in the city. The resilience of people, given their circumstances, is always eye opening. It’s a sad affair. Human suffering is not a pretty thing.
That’s why I'm cautiously optimistic about Mayor Charlie Hales camping guidelines. A new set of camping guidelines were released that outline a new approach to allowing tent camping on public property and the ability to organize larger homeless camps, including trying to find places for people sleeping in their cars and RVs. The proposal isn’t perfect, but it’s something. Haters are going to hate. It’s a pilot program that was created through a lens of compassion and practicality. Will it work? Again, I’m cautiously optimistic, understanding that nothing is perfect and not doing anything isn’t an option.
It’s important to remind ourselves that the current housing crisis didn’t arrive yesterday. The latest homeless emergency is just the latest response to a crisis that’s been going on for far too long. We need to work toward solutions that will create safety for people and alleviate the suffering for our most vulnerable neighbors.
The reality is homeless camps, tent cities, tiny homes and shelters aren’t the answer to homelessness. Housing – and housing alone – is the only solution to homelessness. It’s why things like inclusionary zoning, eviction prevention and more resources to build affordable housing are critical. It’s not getting any better out there, friends, and in fact, it’s probably going to get worse for a whole lot of people. Without that support, it will continue to be a hard knock life for thousands of our friends, family and neighbors.
Israel Bayer is the executive director of Street Roots. You can reach him at israel@streetroots.org or follow him on Twitter @israelbayer.
