The world is a complicated place. Of course, you don’t need me to tell you that. On my way home from work this week I stopped and talked to an elderly woman sleeping on the streets in Old Town. “Besides my aching back all I really need is a long, hot bath ...
5 Jun 2014 - Israel Bayer
Portland is reaching a tipping point. With the decline of affordable housing units around the city due to the increase of rental prices we’re heading into a perfect storm. In fact, some might say the storm has already arrived on our shores. It sure feels ...
1 Jul 2014 - Israel Bayer
Street Roots vendors work hard in the summer. It’s not easy. Being homeless in the summertime isn’t any fun. Longer periods of daylight are a welcome sign for many Portlanders, but for many people on the streets it can mean going long stretches of time wi ...
10 Jul 2014 - Israel Bayer
The Oregonian recently reported that apartment rentals in Portland shot up 6.1 percent last year according to Axiometrics, a rental industry data firm. The average rent for an apartment in Portland is $1,160. You know what? They’re going to increase even ...
13 Aug 2014 - Israel Bayer
It’s time to embrace the idea of organized camping and the Tiny House Movement in Portland for people experiencing poverty. We are now three decades into to the rise of massive homelessness in the United States. During that time we’ve seen tens of billion ...
16 Aug 2014 - Israel Bayer
What is the vision of Street Roots? At the heart of Street Roots and every street newspaper are the vendors selling the newspaper. Providing people the opportunity to earn a dignified income is at the heart of everything we do. People from all walks of li ...
16 Sep 2014 - Israel Bayer
The story of ending people’s homelessness in our community and around the country over the past 30 years is so dysfunctional it’s hard to explain to the general public what’s worked and what hasn’t worked. A little history might help. Between the years of ...
29 Sep 2014 - Israel Bayer
In a time when many urban environments are becoming more draconian in their approach to banning people experiencing homelessness from public spaces, Portland may be on the verge of bucking that trend. This summer, the Portland Police Bureau put 10 police ...
4 Dec 2014 - Israel Bayer
This is an incredible time at Street Roots. The dream we laid out five years ago to become a weekly publication is about to come true. Last year at this time Street Roots went public with the idea and the hope that the community would support the transiti ...
6 Dec 2014 - Israel Bayer
It’s a busy time of year. I’ll be brief. We know readers are very busy before the holidays. Lots to do. As the year winds down and a new year begins, Street Roots and vendors want to thank you for all of your love. Every day we hear story after story of r ...
29 Dec 2014 - Israel Bayer