Portland State University 2019 Homelessness report: Difference between revisions

[from post[https://www.facebook.com/groups/236403716698010/permalink/943702379301470/?comment_id=943808209290887 tocomment in Facebook group PDX YIMBY, 6 Sept 2019], by McCormick]

1. the study presents estimated costs to "address" homelessness, but chooses not to include ongoing '''inflow of people into homelessness or housing insecurity''' -- which in many places is known to be consistently large, and (e.g. in Bay Area greater than the rate at which the unhoused are being housed).&nbsp;<br/> &nbsp; The study also sets aside the '''cost-raising effect of widely expanding rent assistance in a supply-constrained market''', and that of new subsidized housing crowding out other housing. Together, these assumptions likely mean the report greatly understates the scope of need, possibly to the point where the proposed remedies would nowhere near achieve the goal.&nbsp;

3. The report has a major, essentially unstated '''assumption, that new housing created to address homelessness should be done in the same way and at same costs as current''' general market or tax-credit-financed housing. Particularly given the reasons noted above that report may far *understate* need, it seems to me a surprising assumption, that a hugely expanded program of public spending would not consider alternate approaches to achieve its goal. &nbsp;<br/> &nbsp; &nbsp;Also, Oregon and Portland are quite notable for their history and broad community of people exploring alternative housing, such as the Meyer Memorial Trust's recent multi-year [https://mmt.org/news/meyer-hosts-cost-efficiency-summit-january Cost Efficiencies] study and pilot funding program. It would seem a great missed opportunity not to bring all this knowledge and built precedent to bear on the problem.&nbsp;

In general, I fear repeating the typical pattern of housing assistance in many times & places: programs/ funding that ''help a portion of the needy, at high aspiration and cost, often to traditional middle or upper-middle-class norms''; but leave out many more people, and perhaps don't even keep up with worsening need. Alternatively, I'd suggest, we might think of "[[Right_to_housing|'''right to housing''']]" approaches, that create effective minimum standards that must be extended to all -- and that compel the [country, state, city..] to find how to achieve it for all.

*McLam, Lesley, with Corey Elia. [https://www.kboo.org/media/75397-05-tripp-p-1sep2019 TRIPP-P episode 5, discussion with Dr Marisa Zapata]. KBOO, 1 Sept 2019. [https://www.kboo.org/media/75397-05-tripp-p-1sep2019.  https://www.kboo.org/media/75397-05-tripp-p-1sep2019.&nbsp;]<br/> &nbsp;

*Newell, Annette. "[https://kboo.fm/media/75408-interview-director-homelessness-research-and-action-collaborative-psu Interview with the Director of Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative at PSU]." KBOO, Thu, 09/05/2019 - 5:45pm to 6:00pm.&nbsp;[https://kboo.fm/media/75408-interview-director-homelessness-research-and-action-collaborative-psu https://kboo.fm/media/75408-interview-director-homelessness-research-and-action-collaborative-psu].<br/> &nbsp;