Street Roots has worked to prioritize the voices of immigrants and refugees, the poor, critical thinkers, policymakers and truth-tellers. We will continue to do so. The November election brought big wins for housing across the country. There were 34 ballo ...
16 Nov 2016 - Israel Bayer
If I were currently homeless I would choose living outdoors over living in shelter. Hands down. That doesn’t mean I would be choosing to be homeless. The mayor recently declared an end to his “Safe Sleep” policy in our city. The policy allowed for people ...
4 Aug 2016 - Israel Bayer
Two-dozen low-income residents wait to hear their fate The saga of the Joyce Hotel has developed a new twist: The city of Portland has made another offer to purchase the building in an effort to salvage one of the last low-income housing options in downto ...
6 May 2016 - Joanne Zuhl
The Portland Business Alliance took out a full-page ad in today’s Oregonian with the headline, “We can do better than this.” The ad goes on to say, “Our city is experiencing a crisis on our streets and in our parks. Everyday thousands of people sleep in o ...
15 Jul 2015 - Israel Bayer
What a week on the homeless front. A partnership between some of the most powerful interests in the city and a group of homeless activist, a snowstorm and the Portland police chief announcing a plan to address homelessness downtown. Wow. I haven’t even me ...
7 Feb 2014 - Israel Bayer
Technically speaking, he was a transient white male, age 59, declared dead from natural causes at 9:18 p.m., Oct. 7, in East Portland. To his friends, he was Alvin Smith. He lived with about 50 other people at the controversial camp along Johnson Creek at ...
22 Oct 2013 - Joanne Zuhl
Three months ago when Mayor Charlie Hales assigned new bureaus to the City Council, I was honored to be working on housing and homelessness issues as the new Commissioner in charge of the Portland Housing Bureau. I welcome the new challenge. I see the wo ...
23 Sep 2013 - Dan Saltzman
Right 2 Dream Too to sign new lease, threatens suit against city Staff reports Oct. 10 will be the one-year anniversary of Right 2 Dream Too, and members of the homeless rest stop are celebrating by signing a second one-year lease with the property owners ...
10 Oct 2012 - Street Roots
Housing veterans, local numbers fall short By Robert Britt, Staff Writer When Army veteran Mark Townsend left the military service in the early ’70s, a decades-long battle with substance abuse and homelessness was just beginning. Addiction marred Townsend ...
14 Aug 2012 - Street Roots