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.
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.
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.
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u/TormentedTopiary Aug 04 '22
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: