COMMENTARY | The 9th Circuit ruling prevents cities from criminalizing homelessness 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 ofte ...
12 Apr 2019 - Sara K. Rankin
DIRECTOR’S DESK | If there's no funding for a compassionate response to crises on the streets, then support of the plan goes nowhere We’ve heard a tremendous response to the Portland Street Response plan published in our March 15 edition. The grounds ...
29 Mar 2019 - Kaia Sand
A better response to people on Portland's streets might be the linchpin to creating the space for more effective policing Without the political will to comprehensively address Portland’s houseless crisis, the Portland Police Bureau will continue to s ...
22 Mar 2019 - SR editorial board
Not every crisis is a crime Endorse our plan for a new system of first responders – teams of firefighter-EMTs and peer support specialists with training in de-escalation who can respond with compassion to 911 calls about people struggling with homelessne ...
22 Mar 2019 - Street Roots
DIRECTOR’S DESK | Learning from Eugene's CAHOOTS program, Portland must make it clear that a non-police response is available Just under three hours south by train and I was in Eugene, there to witness their mobile crisis support program, CAHOOTS. I ...
15 Mar 2019 - Kaia Sand
State tax policy should support real housing needs What does it say about Oregon’s priorities when in the midst of a low-income housing shortage, we, as taxpayers, subsidize people who buy second homes? That is what we do, and have done for decades, by al ...
8 Mar 2019 - SR editorial board
COMMENTARY | Oregon’s new law is nothing compared to efforts in some U.S. cities The new Democratic super-majority in the Oregon Legislature raised hopes for real progress on urgent issues, including affordable housing, climate change, an abysmal lack of ...
1 Mar 2019 - Mary King
COMMENTARY | Homeless students deserve the same education as their peers Improving educational outcomes for all of Oregon’s students is urgent business. That’s why it was so important to me to add a provision in the Every Student Succeeds Act, passed by ...
8 Feb 2019 - Ron Wyden
DIRECTOR’S DESK | Plan includes some gains for homeless The Portland City Council voted unanimously to approve the Central Eastside Enhanced Services District Wednesday after an all hands-on-deck effort by the staffs of Commissioners Jo Ann Hardesty, Ch ...
6 Feb 2019 - Kaia Sand
Limits on no-cause evictions and rent increases are a necessary first step, but there’s more to be done The Oregon Legislature is already moving on renter protections. That’s a good sign. On Feb. 4, the Senate Housing Committee, chaired by Sen. Shemia Fag ...
1 Feb 2019 - SR editorial board