Dealing with the Homeless Crisis starter pack META

329 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

-15

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?

31

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.

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!