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 every ...
11 Feb 2016 - Israel Bayer
People ask: Does my voice matter? Yes, it does. It’s hard to put into words the trauma we see on the streets every day, much less how it has affected my peers and me over the years. It pales in comparison to how it actually affects the people that go thro ...
28 Jan 2016 - Israel Bayer
Lifting Oregon's ban on inclusionary zoning is key to finding a solution Inclusionary zoning. You’ve heard about it, but what exactly is it? And why is it so important in addressing our current housing crisis in Oregon? Inclusionary zoning links the ...
21 Jan 2016 - Israel Bayer
Organization’s success depends on relationships, community Street Roots is celebrating the first anniversary of being a weekly publication. Only the fourth street newspaper around the globe to be a weekly publication, we are proud of the work we have been ...
31 Dec 2015 - Israel Bayer
A year-end roundup of what’s shaking on the homeless and housing front People ask Street Roots why we aren’t covering more of the housing crisis in the newspaper. It’s a simple answer for a complex problem: We pride ourselves on publishing original conten ...
23 Dec 2015 - Israel Bayer
It may be raining, but our vendors are shining bright With the holidays upon us, it has not been an easy month for Street Roots vendors. Record-breaking rainfall has all but stopped sales of the newspaper on a couple of days, and that never happens. It’s ...
17 Dec 2015 - Israel Bayer
The federal government needs to step up on homeless funding, policies Homelessness is hell, especially during the winter months. This past week, during one of the downpours, I witnessed a homeless woman so soaked to the bone that she simply sat down in th ...
10 Dec 2015 - Israel Bayer
The spirit of the holidays in Portland is strong. The spirit of the people are even stronger. It’s that time of year when many of us are traveling or welcoming friends and family for the holidays, seeking solace in the community that we have created or be ...
25 Nov 2015 - Israel Bayer
We have failed as a nation to give our citizens the tools they need to be successful Dear Mr. President, governors and local mayors of the United States: By now, I’m sure you may have heard that Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and the state of Hawaii have ...
12 Nov 2015 - Israel Bayer
Thank you for investing in Street Roots. You're helping change lives. Supporting Street Roots means giving people a hand up. It means giving people who may have lost everything a fighting chance. It means helping prevent dozens of your neighbors from ...
5 Nov 2015 - Israel Bayer