Portland doesn’t have a Homeless crisis. Portland has a mental health and addiction crisis. We also have a crisis in leadership that doesn’t seem to understand what the right approaches to help these vulnerable individuals. It’s timely rethink the approach and collaborate on a standardized model. Much easier said than done because historically the system is not big on collaborating or partnering. #Homeless | Truth on the streets

A homeless man in Portland has been cutting street signs to use to build a shelter. #homeless | Truth on the streets

The fire department responds to a fire started at a homeless camp on a sidewalk. This is not unusual. Fires in the Homeless community are extremely common. The problem is because most homeless camps are on sidewalks the risk of businesses and cars are also at high risk of burning. In 2022, “homeless-related fires” accounted for approximately 41% of all fires in Portland. By that summer, it had reached 67%. After this, they stopped reporting the data. #homeless | Truth on the streets