Dealing with the Homeless Crisis starter pack META

327 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

If you want to educate yourself about the nature and scope of the issue there is a new book out that examines the structural roots of the homelessness crisis.

It's called Homelessness is a housing problem. and it's a collaboration between an academic and a data journalist.

A quote from the website:

Over the course of the book, the researchers illustrate how absolute rent levels and rental vacancy rates are associated with regional rates of homelessness. Many other common explanations—drug use, mental illness, poverty, or local political context—fail to account for regional variation.

-16

u/InfectedBananas Aug 04 '22

It's called Homelessness is a housing problem

Weird, if it's a housing issue, why are they come from across the country to live in a tent here? why didn't they just stop in a cheap housing state?

28

u/TormentedTopiary Aug 04 '22

The persistent myth that "homeless people move here to take advantage of our generous social services" has the slight problem that it's not true.

But it's a very Eugene thing to build up a self-image of "Oh, we're so kind, and generous and people take advantage of us Soooo Much!".

And as a group we want to be seen as kind and put upon, rather than say arrogant and clueless, or judgy and tightfisted. But that myth is an excuse for not solving the problem at the root.

Which is to say building a lot more housing. Build enough housing that 20% of a full time salary on minimum wage is enough to rent an efficiency apartment. Enough that the rental vacancy rate is 10% of available units on October 1st. Enough that commercial landlords are putting up billboards saying there's too much housing.

8

u/Houseofducks224 Aug 04 '22

Yeah, Nimbys fight all new construction tooth and nail, from student housing to subsidized housing, to luxury housing, to market rate.

We haven't build enough units to keep up with population growth since 2007. Of course we have a housing crisis.

HB2003 will make the city publish a plan to meet the actual housing need.

2

u/iblametheliberals Aug 05 '22

just look at how mad people get about the student "high rises" on this sub. imagine the NIMBYs if they tried to build housing like that anywhere else.

1

u/antipiracylaws Aug 04 '22

I mean I can comment that here in WA, to combat the NIMBY culture, I've moved to the only allowable place, their front yard!

3

u/labelm8 Aug 04 '22

People move here because Eugene is seen as a nice and chill place to live. And part of that is almost certainly the cheap plentiful cannabis.

But that begs the question, is it our duty to provide housing to every person who migrates to Eugene from all over the country?

10

u/[deleted] Aug 04 '22

People that have lived here their whole lives can't afford housing. Manufactured homes (double wides) are going for $350k+. Yeah, we need more housing.

5

u/Relative_Fee8962 Aug 04 '22

Yes, it is our duty. People deserve food, water, shelter, and healthcare at the absolute least. There is more than enough money and materials to accomplish this, but because a company can make more money by not providing them, it will not happen without severe coercion.

1

u/labelm8 Aug 04 '22

So if I like the oceanfront views of Malibu and decide I want to live there, then I should expect there to be housing for me there, regardless of my ability to pay for it?

3

u/Relative_Fee8962 Aug 04 '22

Correct, because the ramifications of not providing housing are more severe than the cost of providing it.

0

u/TheLordofAskReddit Aug 04 '22

You should provide it then. Stick it to the greedy capitalists and save the homeless all at once!

1

u/[deleted] Aug 05 '22

[deleted]

0

u/TheLordofAskReddit Aug 05 '22

No one said individual. Start a company or corporation that doesn’t operate for profit. Pool together the resources of the people that care and do something. You’ll even have a competitive advantage.

-5

u/[deleted] Aug 04 '22

how would they keep that up in years of higher influx / pop growth / breeders popping out buns in the ov?

at some point you’re always playing catch up. decrease pop then there’s adequate housing.

-15

u/2peacegrrrl2 Aug 04 '22

So. We need to destroy every tiny bit of green left in this f ing town for new people who desperately need housing and free stuff?

18

u/aJakalope Aug 04 '22

There are plenty of ways to build more housing without depleting green space.

Build better public transit and build fewer parking lots. They built a massive parking lot for county workers on Pearl that could easily be housing.

You can build less single family homes and remove some of the height restrictions in town in exchange for affordable rents.

You can incorporate green space INTO housing projects.

7

u/pirawalla22 Aug 04 '22

Oh yeah, we are definitely in danger of destroying "every tiny bit of green left" in Eugene.

4

u/mrsclausemenopause Aug 04 '22

Arguably, increasing density even if it reduces green space within the city protects more green space outside the city where it matters more.