Ecopol Project - Portland State University

The Hidden Struggle of Staying Clean While Homeless

2026-05-08T00:56:25.554-07:00

For most people, taking a shower, washing clothes, or brushing their teeth is part of a normal daily routine. These are things many people do without even thinking about them. However, for people experiencing homelessness, staying clean can become one of the hardest parts of daily life. Something as simple as finding a bathroom, clean water, or a safe place to shower is not always easy. Many homeless individuals do not have regular access to hygiene products such as soap, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, or clean clothes. This affects not only physical health, but also mental health, confidence, and how people are treated by others in public spaces.

A study about hygiene practices among homeless individuals in Boston found that many people experiencing homelessness struggle with access to showers, laundry, and sanitation facilities. The study explained that limited hygiene access can increase the risk of infections, skin conditions, dental problems, and other illnesses. Some individuals reported washing clothes in public sinks or depending on shelters, friends, or public programs just to shower or do laundry. These situations show how difficult basic hygiene can become without stable housing and reliable resources.

Lack of hygiene can also affect opportunities in everyday life. Imagine trying to attend a job interview, school, or a medical appointment without being able to shower or wash your clothes for several days. Many homeless individuals already face unfair judgment from society, and hygiene struggles can increase embarrassment, stress, and stigma even more. Some businesses also restrict bathroom access to paying customers, making it harder for homeless individuals to meet even their most basic needs.

The study also explained that hygiene is connected to dignity and emotional well being, not just cleanliness. Even small things like clean clothes, access to soap, or warm shower can help someone feel more confident, respected, and comfortable around others. These simple resources can make a major difference in a person's daily life.

Hygiene is a basic human need not a luxury. Supporting shelters, donating hygiene kits, and improving access to public bathrooms, showers, and laundry services can make a real difference. Even small actions like free shower programs or public restrooms can help people stay healthy and maintain dignity. If we want to truly support homeless communities, we need to understand that staying clean is often much harder than most people realize and that small resources can have a big impact on a person's confidence, health, and opportunities.

To learn more about homelessness and hygiene access here is the article:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5580630/

The Small Things We Don’t See: Water, Dignity, and Portland’s Streets

2026-05-06T13:08:04.539-07:00

Walk through Portland early in the morning and you’ll notice something most people miss. Not just tents or tarps, but the quiet routines happening around them. Someone pouring bottled water over their hands. Someone using a rag to wipe down a surface that will be dirty again in an hour. Someone trying to take care of their body with almost nothing.

We talk about houselessness here in big terms, housing shortages, funding, policy failure. All of that matters. But there’s a more immediate layer that shapes daily life, and it’s access to basic sanitation.

In Multnomah County, thousands of people are living unsheltered on any given night. For many of them, there is no reliable place to wash their hands, clean a wound, or use a restroom that feels even remotely safe. Public bathrooms exist, but they close. Hygiene stations get installed, but they break or aren’t maintained. What looks like a solution on paper often doesn’t hold up in practice.

This has real consequences. When you can’t clean a cut properly, small injuries turn into infections. When you don’t have consistent access to a restroom, you’re forced into situations that are unsafe, or criminalized. Public health becomes harder to manage, not just for houseless individuals, but for the city as a whole. This isn’t separate from the rest of Portland. It’s deeply connected to it.

There’s also something less measurable but just as important. The loss of dignity. Hygiene is tied to how we move through the world, how we’re perceived, and how we perceive ourselves. When that’s stripped away, it reinforces a cycle of invisibility. It becomes harder to access services, harder to be taken seriously, and harder to enter stable housing.

Portland has tried to respond. Programs like portable toilets, handwashing stations, and nonprofit outreach have made a difference. Street Roots and similar organizations continue to push for better access and accountability. But the scale is still off. A handful of stations cannot meet the needs of thousands of people spread across the city. And when these services are treated as temporary or optional, they’re often the first to disappear.

What’s frustrating is that this is one of the more solvable parts of the crisis. Expanding public hygiene access doesn’t require waiting years for new housing developments. It requires funding, maintenance, and a shift in how we think about public space. Cities like San Francisco and Seattle have invested in staffed, 24-hour hygiene centers. Portland could do more of the same, and do it better.

There’s also a design issue we tend to ignore. Many public restrooms are built to deter use rather than support it. Harsh lighting, uncomfortable layouts, limited privacy. What if we approached these spaces differently? Clean, well-maintained, and designed with the same care we give to places meant for paying customers. That shift wouldn’t just improve usability, it would signal that people using them are worth designing for.

It’s easy to dismiss this as a small piece of a much larger problem. But small doesn’t mean insignificant. These are the conditions people live in every single day. If those conditions don’t change, the larger solutions we talk about will continue to fall short.

You should care because this isn’t just about people living outside. It’s about the kind of city Portland is becoming. Basic sanitation is not a luxury. It’s a baseline for public health, safety, and dignity. Ignoring it doesn’t make the problem go away, it just makes it harder to fix.

If you want to see how this is already being addressed, and where the gaps still are, take a few minutes to look through the work being done locally.

Click here to learn more or support efforts in Portland: https://www.streetroots.org

Charging for Change

2026-05-05T16:35:48.925-07:00

Society has put us in a situation where we rely too much on cell phones. We take for granted how we can stay connected with anyone at any time. No imagine you had nowhere to charge your phone. You might think, "Hey I can just charge this at home." But what if you didn't have a home to go back to. This is the reality for most of the un-homed population. Not having a phone can prevent people from not being able to contact their family or case workers, apply for jobs, or even be able to find shelters or just use a map.

When I was younger, I showed up for a job interview wearing jeans. The people who were interviewing kicked me right out the door without asking me a single question. In hindsight I dodged a bullet with that job but there are jobs out there that judge people off their appearance. Imagen finding a clean interview outfit but your phone dies right when they call you to set up a date for the interview, and you have no idea when you will be able to charge your phone again. This does make it a little bit difficult for people to get their life back together.

What I suggest we can do to fix this issue is to leave charging ports at transit stops. I know there's a few charging ports on the MAX but putting some on the bus would also be a good idea. I also suggest that they pass out solar panel chargers at shelters or missions to allow their phones to charge on sunny days. In the long run we all know how it feels to be carrying around a dead phone. We need to do something to make that aspect of life a little bit easier for everyone. At the end of the day a phone is more than just a tool to distract you from the world, It’s a lifeline. It’s the thing that connects people with family and job opportunities. This small rectangle is what is keeping most of us employed.

https://twitter.com/ecopolproject

https://www.tiktok.com/@ecolife.project?lang=en

https://www.freegeek.org/

Why Pets are Both a Lifeline and a Barrier

2026-05-04T17:30:14.667-07:00

The relationship between a person and their pet is one of the strongest bonds that exists after everything else in their life falls apart. Within many of the camps located all around Portland and along the streets, having a dog or cat is quite common, but they are typically considered a nuisance by society and social services. For much of the homeless population in Portland, a pet is more than just a convenience; it is their source of security, comfort, and affection. Despite its importance for their mental well-being, owning a pet can serve as an obstacle standing in the way of assistance, leaving them with no other option than to choose between a comfortable night of sleep and their only form of family.

The common rhetoric tends to suggest that if a pet is keeping someone from a shelter, they should relinquish them in order to stabilize themselves. However, this perspective completely overlooks the psychological aspect of human connection. In a situation where one loses everything, such as their home, employment, and social standing, the role of a pet in providing meaning and humanity becomes crucial. A new study conducted at the University of Southern California in 2026 looked into years of housing outcomes and discovered that unhoused people who owned pets managed to secure permanent housing twice as often as people without pets. The fact that there is someone else to take care of gives them the drive to stabilize and enables them to utilize low-barrier permanent housing options more effectively.

Despite all these positive outcomes, the logistical hurdles involved in Portland prove to be quite challenging. While many shelters around Portland allow for pets, they often have certain requirements they must meet to be allowed in. They often need proof of vaccination, which is challenging due to the lack of documentation they have for their pets. They also tend to require the pets to be “housebroken” – proper potty training and proper indoor behavior – which can prove very challenging for those who are constantly living outdoors, or in inconsistent housing. In addition, movement becomes quite limited since transportation to a doctor's appointment or an interview may only be available on the MAX or buses, where it may not be possible to take one's pet along. It is necessary to consider animals not as a problem but rather as a solution to homelessness.

For the future, the opportunity arises for Portland to be proactive and utilize the correlation between humans and their pets to improve their services. This may involve extending shelter services with pet kennel availability as well as reaching out to organizations such as Portland Animal Welfare (PAW) team that will offer necessary animal care services for those who lack funds. By offering pet-friendly services, the city ensures that while ensuring stability for the individual, they do not have to give up their beloved pets. Our city boasts in the care we take for one another and our pets. It is now time that we showed care for those who needed it the most. We must recognize that keeping a pet healthy and safe could often be the first step at keeping a person whole and motivated to keep fighting.

If you are interested in learning more about what the PAWs Team mission is or want to donate, check out their website HERE.

Hostile Architecture

2026-05-03T16:42:16.230-07:00

You see it more and more. A bench that’s strategically had another arm rest added right in the middle of the seat to prevent anyone from lying across. Spikes on flat surfaces that are just barely pretending to be aesthetic flourishes, and “coincidently” preventing anyone from sitting comfortably. Seats that are sloped ever so slightly, preventing more than a moment's rest. These design choices are part of a larger trend to prevent homeless citizens from accessing places of rest, some subtle, some less subtle.

It might make sense on the surface. A public bench is for sitting, not sleeping, so why shouldn’t we prevent people from using it as a bed? But there’s a dark underside to that train of thought. The implication that is being suggested here is that there is a “right” way to use a public service, and a “wrong” way. That simply is not the case. A public bench is meant to provide rest, nothing more, nothing less, and no citizen has a greater claim to it than another.

It’s all about appearances, really. When someone is denied a place to sleep due to hostile architecture, they do not suddenly no longer need somewhere to sleep. Instead they are simply being told that anywhere they choose to sleep should be out of the way, hidden. That’s not solving the problem of homelessness, that’s sweeping it under the rug and pretending it’s not there. And suppose every rest spot, every public seat is converted into these hostile forms of themselves. You’d be left with a city that says to anyone looking at it, “I chose to develop these ugly, tumorous growths because I wanted to ignore a problem rather than solve it.” A city should be beautiful, and it should have character, and it shouldn’t sacrifice these things to pretend that things are better than they are. You may find the sight of a homeless person sleeping on a bench unsightly. Is it more unsightly than an empty bench proudly proclaiming how discriminatory it is?
I don’t think so.

To see more of how this problem is developing in cities across the nation, take a look at this article: CLICK

Homelessness and the Cost of Disconnection

2026-05-03T16:23:42.346-07:00

Think - when was the last time you used your phone? What did you use it for? Checking Instagram? Netflix?

Dinner plans? How about the essentials, like your bank account, or paying your bills? Medical appointments?

Job applications or communication with your employer? GPS? Emergency services?

Chances are, you use your phone or computer for ALL of these things, and more.

Are you surprised at how often you need your phone? If so, you may also be surprised that houseless individuals

need access to all of these essentials too, (not that Netflix and Instagram are essentials!) and they need technology

to do so: Phones, tablets, computers, whatever gets the job done.

Research on the digital divide shows that the overwhelming majority of houseless people are using smartphones

on a regular basis, going through devices at twice the rate of the general population. Statistics on mental health,

physical health and aging, chronic illness incarceration, becoming a victim of violence or harassment, and more

show us that houseless individuals are more likely than the general population to experience all of these hardships

on a daily basis, in addition to lack of access to stable housing, utilities, technology, and community. The terms

‘houseless’ and ‘homeless’ do not even begin to scratch the surface of what life is actually like in our current society

without shelter. That being said, access to technology, including the internet and electricity, is crucial for our

survival. Not having a reliable source of internet or electricity means you have to plan your life around those

services - not around what’s best for your health. A dead phone or ‘dead-zone’ could cause you to miss essential

communications outlined above, including but not limited to financial accounts, medical communications,

employer communications and job inquiries, GPS services, emergency services, and more.

Because these essential elements of our lives are wrapped up in the digital wild west, we need to incorporate

access to technology as an essential part of our infrastructure, like water or other utilities, instead of assuming

that everyone has the means to gain access to technology, or that someone can bypass the technology altogether.

Our infrastructure doesn’t care about those that can’t access the internet or aren’t tech-savvy. I propose that we

change public digital infrastructure, for built-in connections. This would enable houseless individuals to participate

in society more effectively and regularly, increasing their chances of obtaining shelter, steady employment, and

access to healthcare. Tech companies could also be incentivized to benefit from an increase in use of these services,

as we already know that the overwhelming majority of houseless individuals use smartphones, jumping through

whatever hoops and obstacles they need to in order to stay connected.

If we increase public access to technology with infrastructure, our society will benefit as a whole from the increase

in societal connectivity and individual stability.

No Digital Divide? Technology Use among Homeless Adults

What is Digital Public Infrastructure and why does it matter?

Why digital public infrastructure is key to building a connected future

Charging for Change

2026-05-02T09:30:42.340-07:00

Society has put ourselves in a situation where we rely too much on cell phones. We take for granted how we can stay connected with anyone at any time. No imagine you had nowhere to charge your phone. You might think, "Hey I can just charge this at home." But what if you didn't have a home to go back to. This is the reality for most of the un-homed population. Not having a phone can prevent people from not being able to contact their family or case workers, apply for jobs, or even be able to find shelters or just use a map.

https://twitter.com/ecopolproject

https://www.tiktok.com/@ecolife.project?lang=en

https://www.freegeek.org/

Thinking Outside the Box

2026-04-29T13:08:06.762-07:00

PO Box. Two words. One of the simplest fixes imaginable.

And yet for hundreds of thousands of people experiencing homelessness in the US, it might as well not exist.

You can't get a PO Box without an ID. You can't always get an ID without an address. And you can't get much of anything (benefits, job offers, housing notices) without somewhere to receive mail. There's no way in, and the system doesn't care.

A job offer goes out. A benefits approval. A court date. A spot opens up at a shelter. They all arrive the same way, by mail. Miss one and you're not just inconvenienced. You're set back months. Sometimes years. Sometimes you never catch up.

The systems that are supposed to help you can't find you.

But here's the thing, this is actually one of the more solvable problems in the homelessness conversation. It doesn't require building anything. It doesn't require a bond measure or a years-long policy fight.

Some cities have already figured it out. Designated mailing addresses through nonprofits. PO box programs run out of shelters. ID and mail services at public libraries. Simple, low-cost, and when they're funded, they work.

The problem isn't that solutions don't exist. It's that most people have never heard of them, and most cities haven't bothered to scale them.

A mailing address isn't a luxury. It's infrastructure. And treating it like one might be one of the most straightforward steps a city can take toward actually helping people find a way out.

And if you live in Portland, this is your city. These are your neighbors. The solutions exist right here, right now. Someone just has to push for them.

Click here to see how Transition Projects in Portland is already making it happen →

Why Connection to the Online World Matter's

2026-04-24T14:37:36.968-07:00

"When Your Phone Dies, So Do Opportunities"

Imagine your phone dying, and you have no way to charge it!

For most of us, that’s just annoying and a simple fix. We plug it in later and don’t think much about it. But for people experiencing homelessness, a dead phone can mean something way bigger. It could mean missing a job call, losing contact with a caseworker, or not being able to reach someone in an emergency.

Phones aren’t just for scrolling anymore, they’re how people stay connected to everything in the modern world. A lot of people without stable housing actually do have phones and they use them to communicate, find useful services, and also stay connected to new opportunities. But having a phone doesn’t really matter if you can’t keep it charged at all.

This is something that’s especially relevant in places like Portland where homelessness is very visible and continues to grow. Walking around the city, it’s not hard to see how many people are dealing with unstable living situations. But what isn’t always obvious are the smaller everyday barriers like access to power. That makes it even harder for people to get back on their feet.

That’s where the real problem comes in. Finding a place to charge isn’t always easy either. Public outlets are limited and a lot of places don’t allow it. Also safe and reliable access just isn’t guaranteed. Libraries close and not every shelter has enough space or resources for consistent access for everyone. So even if someone is trying to stay connected, one dead battery can cut them off completely from that world.

It’s easy to overlook something like this because it feels small, but it really isn’t. Something as simple as keeping a phone charged can be the difference between moving forward or staying stuck. A missed call or message might not seem like much, but over time those missed connections add up and create even more barriers.

Most of us and even me, don’t even think twice about plugging in our phone before bed. It’s just part of our routine. But for others that same basic thing isn’t always an option and that lack of access quietly shuts down opportunities every day.

If you want to see how mobile phones are actually being used by people experiencing homelessness and why access to charging matters more than most people realize, click here to learn more: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6516785/

2026-03-19T15:58:39.203-07:00

“It’s Not Just Stuff, It’s Stability”

Why Storage Could Change Portland’s Homeless Crisis

What if one small fix could make a real dent in homelessness, not solve it entirely, but actually move people forward?
Sounds unlikely, right?

So let’s start with a simple question:

Is homelessness really about housing or are we missing something smaller but critical?
Housing is the big picture, no doubt. But what often gets ignored are the day-to-day barriers that keep people stuck.

One of the biggest?

Not having a safe place to store personal belongings.

When you’re carrying everything you own, your priorities shift. You’re not thinking about job applications, you’re thinking,

“Will my stuff still be here when I get back?”

That constant risk creates a cycle: stay with your belongings, miss opportunities, stay stuck.

But isn’t this just a temporary inconvenience?
Not even close.

Losing belongings while living unsheltered can be devastating. IDs, medications, clothing, and personal items are often irreplaceable in the short term. Without an ID alone, accessing housing, employment, or benefits becomes incredibly difficult.

And in Portland, this happens more often than people think. When camps are cleared, people rarely recover what was taken. That means starting over, again and again.

This isn’t just inconvenient.
It’s destabilizing.

So how would storage actually help someone move forward?

Let’s flip the situation.

If someone had access to a secure locker during the day:

They could attend job interviews without carrying bags

They could safely store documents needed for housing applications

They could access healthcare without worrying about theft

They could move through the city more freely.

That’s not a small change, that’s a shift from survival mode to progress mode.
Cities that have tested storage programs consistently show increased engagement with services. When people feel even a small sense of stability, they’re more likely to take the next step.

But doesn’t this just “enable” homelessness instead of solving it?

That’s a common argument, but it misses the point.
Storage doesn’t enable homelessness.
It removes a barrier out of it.

Think about it: we already invest in emergency responses, cleanups, and short-term solutions. But if people can’t even protect their basic belongings, how can we expect them to transition into housing?

This is about giving people the minimum level of stability required to improve their situation.

What would this look like in Portland?

A smart, realistic approach could include:

Locker hubs near transit and service centers

Monitored access for safety and accountability

Partnerships with outreach programs

Data tracking to measure success

This isn’t just theoretical, it builds on models already being tested locally and nationally.
And it’s exactly the kind of practical, scalable idea that a Portland State University capstone project is meant to explore.

Is this actually worth taxpayer investment?

Here’s where it gets interesting.

Without solutions like storage:

People remain in visible, concentrated encampments

Cleanup and emergency response costs continue

Individuals struggle longer to exit homelessness

With storage:

Public spaces become more usable

People are more likely to engage with services

The path to employment and housing becomes more realistic

In other words, a relatively low-cost solution could reduce higher long-term costs.
So why should you care?
Because this isn’t just about compassion, it’s about functioning cities.

It’s about:

Cleaner, safer neighborhoods

Smarter use of public money

Helping people regain independence instead of staying stuck

And honestly, if one simple solution could help someone go from carrying their entire life on their back… to taking a step toward stability…

Wouldn’t that be worth trying?

Curious how this is already being tested in Portland, and what the results look like?
Click here to explore the city’s day storage program and see the impact for yourself:
https://www.portland.gov/homelessness-impact-reduction/day-storage

The Importance of Mobile Asset Storage and Security Programs

2026-03-19T11:29:40.668-07:00

Secure your belongings. Restore stability. Support HoldSafe.

Having your belonging secured, you also secure your housing, employment, and health.

#affordable #housing #community #cost

By: Colette Laskey, Eman El-Tayib, Elizabeth Le, Emily Le, Nnamdi Ugonna - Marketing FTA

WHERE DO YOU PUT YOUR LIFE?

2026-03-19T10:38:45.476-07:00

"Where Do You Put Your Life?” Rethinking Storage and Homelessness in Portland
Portland State University Capstone projects are meant to tackle real problems, and here’s one most people overlook:
Where do people experiencing homelessness store their belongings during the day?
Is that really a big deal?
It is! More than most people realize.
Imagine carrying everything you own 24/7. Not just a backpack, but blankets, clothes, important documents, medications. Now try going to a job interview like that. Or a doctor’s appointment. Or even just riding the bus.

That’s the reality for thousands of people in Portland.

According to regional data, over 12,000 people are experiencing homelessness across the metro area. Many of them are unsheltered, meaning everything they own stays with them at all times. Without secure storage, people are stuck in survival mode, unable to focus on getting back on their feet.

But wouldn’t public lockers just attract more camping nearby?

That’s the concern people usually jump to.

But here’s the twist: the opposite often happens.

When people have a safe place to leave their belongings, they’re actually more mobile, not less. They can leave encampments during the day, access services, attend interviews, and move through the city more freely.
Programs like Portland’s day storage services already show this in action. When storage is available, people are better able to connect with housing resources and employment support.
So instead of encouraging camping, lockers can reduce the need to stay in one place.

Do storage programs actually make a measurable difference?

Yes, and the numbers are hard to ignore.

In Portland, when belongings are removed during campsite cleanups, people recover their items only about 4% of the time. That means IDs, medications, and survival gear are often gone for good.

Think about that for a second.
Losing an ID alone can delay access to housing, jobs, and benefits for weeks, or even months. Now imagine that happening repeatedly.
Secure storage breaks that cycle. It protects the few assets people have and gives them a stable starting point to rebuild.

What about safety and misuse of locker areas?

Fair question, but this is where design matters.

Successful programs don’t just drop lockers on a sidewalk. They include:
Staffed or monitored locations
Check-in systems
Clear rules and time limits
Partnerships with service providers
A well-designed system doesn’t create chaos, it creates structure. And structure is exactly what’s missing for many people trying to transition out of homelessness.

So why should Portland invest in something like this?

Because it’s not just about helping individuals, it’s about improving the city as a whole.
When people don’t have to carry everything they own:
Sidewalks become more accessible
Public spaces feel less congested
Encampments are less concentrated
People are more likely to engage with services

And here’s something that might surprise you:

Portland spends significant resources responding to homelessness through campsite removals and emergency services. But without addressing root barriers, like storage, those efforts often become a cycle.
Storage is a small investment that can reduce bigger, ongoing costs.

So what’s the big idea?

A Portland State University capstone project could propose a network of secure, accessible locker stations across the city, placed near transit, shelters, and service hubs.
Not just lockers, but a system:
Scalable
Monitored
Connected to real support services
Because sometimes, solving a huge problem starts with something simple:

Giving people a place to safely put their things.

Why should you care?

Because this isn’t just about “them”, it’s about all of us.

It’s about:
Safer, cleaner public spaces
More efficient use of taxpayer dollars
Helping people move toward independence instead of staying stuck

And honestly, if losing everything you owned could set you back months… wouldn’t you want a solution that prevents that?

Small changes can lead to big outcomes. This is one of them.

Want to see how Portland is already tackling this issue, and what could come next?

Click here to learn more about local day storage programs and how they’re making an impact:
https://www.portland.gov/homelessness-impact-reduction/day-storage

The Reality Behind “Just Get a Job”

2026-03-19T02:22:46.638-07:00

A lot of people say things like “why don’t they just get a job?” when talking about homelessness. But after looking more into this issue, it’s clear that it’s not nearly that simple. Think about what you actually need to get and keep a job. You need an ID. You need a place to store your clothes. You need to be able to show up consistently. You might need tools, documents, or even just a phone charger. Now imagine trying to manage all of that while also worrying that everything you own could be stolen or thrown away at any time. That’s the reality for a lot of unhoused people.

Losing something like an ID doesn’t just mean replacing it. It can take weeks, sometimes longer, and usually requires other documents that might also be missing. Medications are even more serious, losing them can directly impact someone’s health. And something as simple as losing clean clothes can affect whether someone even feels comfortable going to an interview.

This is why smaller solutions can actually make a big difference. Mobile storage programs might not sound like a huge change, but they directly address one of the most overlooked problems: the constant loss of important belongings.

If people had a safe place to store their things, even temporarily, it would make it easier to follow through on appointments, keep documents safe, and focus on longer term goals. It’s one of those things that seems small on the surface but has a ripple effect on everything else. Also, these programs can be designed in ways that involve the community. For example, partnerships with local organizations or even involving unhoused individuals in managing the system can help build trust and reduce misuse. So instead of asking why people don’t just fix their situation, it might be more useful to look at what barriers are actually in the way.

It’s More Than Just “Stuff”

2026-03-19T02:15:18.179-07:00

Imagine finally getting your ID replaced after weeks of trying, just for it to get stolen the next day. Or having your medications taken, your work clothes ruined in the rain, or everything you own thrown away during a sweep. For a lot of people experiencing homelessness, this isn’t necessarily a rare situation. It’s something that happens over and over again.

One thing I didn’t really think about before this project is how important stability is when it comes to moving forward. It’s not just about having a place to sleep. It’s about being able to keep your belongings safe long enough to actually use them. Things like IDs, documents, medications, and even basic clothing aren’t just “stuff”, they’re what allow people to apply for jobs, show up to interviews, access services, and keep appointments. Right now, a lot of unhoused people have to rely on things like carts, bags, or hiding their belongings, which isn’t secure at all. That means even if someone is actively trying to improve their situation, they’re constantly being set back. It becomes a cycle that’s really hard to break.

That’s where the mobile asset storage programs come in. The idea itself is pretty simple and secure. The weatherproof lockers can move to where people actually are, instead of expecting people to travel across the city and leave their belongings behind, the storage comes to them. It’s not a full solution to homelessness, but it removes one major barrier that people deal with every day. And honestly, it’s something that doesn’t just benefit the individual. It can also reduce clutter in public spaces and make things feel more organized and safer for everyone.

At the end of the day, this is about giving people a fair chance to move forward without constantly starting over. Stability is the foundation for everything else whether it’s jobs, housing, health, and safety. Without it, progress becomes almost impossible.

More sources on how storage impacts stability and houselessness below:

https://endhomelessness.org/overview/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/storage-ending-homelessness_n_5724610

When Helping Saves Money: Why Investing in Unhoused Solutions Makes Sense

2026-03-17T18:02:48.189-07:00

By Eman E.

Homelessness is usually talked about as a moral issue. And it is. People deserve stability and

safety. But another side that often gets overlooked is that helping people who are unhoused is,

in many cases, less expensive than managing homelessness through emergency systems. In

other words, investing in housing and support can actually save cities money over time. And

this is especially true in Portland, where the unhoused issue has been growing year after year.

According to the 2023 Point-in-Time Count from Multnomah County, more than 6,000 people

were experiencing homelessness on a single night in the Portland area. That number reflects

thousands of people interacting with public systems every day. Those systems cost money.

According to reporting from Oregon Public Broadcasting, cities and counties spend large

amounts each year on emergency shelter, sanitation clean-ups, law enforcement response, and

crisis medical care related to homelessness. Emergency room visits are especially expensive.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, people experiencing homelessness

are far more likely to rely on emergency rooms and crisis services because they don’t have stable

access to preventative care.

Managing homelessness through emergency systems adds up quickly. According to a well-known

cost study conducted in Central Florida and cited by the National Alliance to End Homelessness,

one chronically unhoused individual cost taxpayers over $30,000 per year in emergency services,

jail time, and hospital visits. When that same person was placed into supportive housing, the cost

dropped significantly because emergency usage went down.

Research consistently shows that supportive housing reduces public costs. According to the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development, permanent supportive housing programs reduce

shelter stays, hospital visits, and incarceration. Studies referenced by the National Alliance to End

Homelessness show Housing First programs not only improve stability but also lower overall

public spending because fewer emergency interventions are needed.

Portland has also invested in prevention. Metro’s Supportive Housing Services program states that

regional funding approved by voters is being used to create affordable housing and provide rent

assistance and case management. Prevention programs cost far less than emergency shelter or

repeated crisis response. According to research summarized by the Urban Institute, preventing an

eviction is significantly cheaper than supporting a household once they enter homelessness.

When we look at the numbers, the pattern is clear. Emergency response is expensive. Police calls,

hospital visits, jail stays, clean-ups, and temporary shelters all cost more over time than stable

housing paired with support services. Investing upfront in housing, case management, and addiction

treatment isn’t only ethical. It’s financially practical.

Learning how these programs work can help shift the conversation from short-term crisis

management to long-term solutions that save both money and lives. If you want to explore more

research on how housing solutions reduce public costs, the National Alliance to End Homelessness

provides accessible reports and data here:

👉https://endhomelessness.org

Lack of Public Lockers Fuels Homelessness in Portland

2026-03-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

The lack of public storage lockers acts as a structural barrier and might end up costing the taxpayers more money. In Multnomah county, which includes Portland, deaths among people experiencing homelessness have risen sharply over the last several years. According to ProPublica, deaths increased from 113 in 2019 to more than 450 in 2023. This surge occurred even as the city spent roughly $1.3 billion on homelessness responses between 2021 and 2024. Researchers interviewed in the article argue that Portland’s strategy, heavy encampment sweeps combined with a shift away from permanent housing, may actually worsen risks for people living outside. People experiencing homelessness in the county also face dramatically higher mortality risks, according to Oregon Public Broadcast, they are 6x higher at risk of death overall, and 40x higher risk of death from an overdose, compared with the general population.

According to the investigation, Portland has dramatically increased camp removals, since 2021 the city has carried out about 19,000 sweeps and In 2024 alone, city crews dismantled over 20 encampments per day. Researchers told the reporters that frequent displacement can make unhoused people less safe and harder to reach with services. When a camp is cleared, people often lose essential belongings like medication, identification, phones, survival gear, and documents needed for housing or benefits.

The role of public storage lockers continues to be overlooked. Without safe storage, people experiencing homelessness must constantly carry or guard everything they own. ID cards, Social Security documents, and medical paperwork are frequently lost during sweeps or theft. Without them, it becomes harder to apply for housing, access benefits, enter treatment programs, and secure employment to name a few.

There are also health and survival risks, essential survival gear like blankets, medications, mobility devices, or overdose-reversal supplies can be confiscated or discarded at any time. Losing these items can directly increase risk of illness, exposure, or overdose.Without storage, belongings become targets, forcing people to stay with their possessions rather than seek services. The ProPublica investigation emphasizes that housing stability is central to reducing deaths, with researchers stating solutions “begin and end with housing.” However, storage access can function as a harm-reduction step when housing isn’t immediately available. In cities that provide lockers or storage programs, service providers often report improved engagement with outreach programs because people can temporarily separate survival needs from their belongings.

The rising number of deaths among people experiencing homelessness in Portland reflects more than a housing shortage, it reveals the consequences of constant instability. When encampments are cleared and people have nowhere safe to store their belongings, they risk losing the documents, medications, and survival gear that help them stay alive and move toward stability. Without basic infrastructure like public lockers or storage programs, people are forced to carry everything they own or risk losing it at any moment. That instability makes it harder to access services, secure housing, maintain health, and rebuild a life. If Portland is serious about reducing homelessness and preventing further deaths, solutions must go beyond temporary displacement. Providing safe storage, along with housing and supportive services, is a practical step toward restoring dignity, stability, and a pathway out of homelessness.

ProPublica Statistics

OPB Article and Graphics

What Homelessness Costs Taxpayers (And How to Change That)

2026-03-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

PC: The LA Times/Raul Roa.

A chronically homeless person costs taxpayer an average of about $35,500 per year. For a little comparison, that sum is over twice the federal minimum wage ($15,080) and a little over one and a half times Oregon’s lowest minimum wage ($23,400) in a year’s gross pay. Spending that much money on a single chronically homeless person gives many people a sour taste in their mouths, probably even yours, but there are ways to sweeten the palate by understanding where that money is spent and how to reduce the costs.

For many, there is an underlying assumption that homelessness is expensive due to government handouts and welfare programs. While these are certainly costly, two other elements are more costly. Payment for emergency healthcare for injuries, untreated wounds, and diseases that often requires emergency ambulance rides, hospital stays, and treatment that amasses well over a third of the annual costs. Hospital stays are not cheap for anyone, let alone uninsured unhoused persons. The second most costly component is policing and enforcement, making street sweeps, camp breakdowns, arrests, court fees, and jail time for criminalized homelessness rack up over a fifth of the taxpayer’s bill. There is an irony in how those efforts to control homelessness are not only ineffective but also expensive to maintain.

Shelters, temporary housing, and social services like welfare outreach and addiction assistance are at the bottom of the tab, accounting for around two fifths of the annual total costs to taxpayers. Incredibly, studies conducted by both government agencies and nonprofits have indicated the most effective methods to curtail homelessness are through housing and support services.

People without homes and the safety they provide incur costs from public funds because they are heavily reliant on expensive systems. As the old adage goes, you can get something cheap and fast but it won’t be good, and something fast and good will never be cheap. Emergency responses, treatment, last-resort housing, and law enforcement all are the most expensive ways to exist. On the other hand, stability and dependability are the most economical.

Nobody likes throwing money at a pit, but the math isn’t deceiving you: Expensive healthcare and law enforcement accounts for anywhere between 60-75% of the costs annually, and the most effective way to reduce the tax burden of homelessness is by reducing the need for medical interventions and cutting police responses that aren’t useful.

On the other hand, focusing on the root issues and helping homeless people get back on their feet would cost the taxpayers an average of $13,000 per year. That’s far less than it costs now, and adding that it gives people a fighting chance to get out of homelessness altogether makes it sound like a sweet investment instead.

So, what can you do to turn this around?

Vote for local measures that take a housing-first approach and provide homeless people a modicum of safety they can rely on. Giving them a space to call home for longer than a few nights provides the chance to have belongings and get non-emergency services. It also lets people pursue dreams like having a job again and earning a wage.

Support programs that allow homeless people to possess objects safety, like community safekeeping lockers.

Write to your representatives about how emergency services are an industry in and of itself that drains public coffers and that there are better ways to curb the cost of homelessness. Raise awareness of the numbers and facts.

But most importantly, treat homeless people as humans worthy of dignity and safety. Lowering the expenses incurred on the taxpayer dime starts by seeing them as humans deserving of responsible investments rather than an endless epidemic to be chased around the city.

To learn more about the cost of homelessness, check these links out:
Ending Chronic Homelessness Saves Taxpayers Money and The Costs and Harms of Homelessness

Safety of Belongings: A privilege or a right?

2026-03-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

Are your things safe?

I don’t mean protected by insurance, rather I’m talking about safe from a loss in the first place. Is your wallet accounted for? How about your clothes, your electronics, your tools, your bike? If so, that safety likely comes from having a place for you to keep your things.

I’m talking about safety from having a place you call home, or a car you control, or even a dry storage box. Keeping these spaces that are exclusively yours lets you keep your assets where they are in custody and protected from theft or loss.

Safety becomes is a privilege enjoyed by affording those services. Knowing your things are all accounted for enables you to have freedom of movement, engage in hobbies you like, and see people you care about. That safety also lets you get on with your day knowing there’s security of your self and your possessions. We can figure out the extent we depend on our sense of safety by how we would react without personal security.

Without personal safety of your possessions, you are less likely to feel empowered to make decisions that you may consider second-nature and part of life. Instead, you’d have to carry everything you own around and take risks when doing so. Things become risks, making activities like these become harder:

look for or have a job
keeping your identification
traveling virtually any distance
entering buildings
sleeping
simply having belongings

All of activities that we can take for granted become part of a gauntlet you’re forced to navigate every day and night if you don't have a place to keep your things.

But what about people who cannot afford the luxury of keeping things safe? What if we can make safety less of a luxury service and something accessible to everyone? We’ve already figured out it’s rather essential to have a life.

Safety shouldn’t be a service bought and acquired, but a common benefit for everyone to enjoy. Thankfully, there are agencies and nonprofits out there making safety accessible, but together we can do more through awareness and advocacy to expand these services to more places.

You can learn more about safekeeping programs here.

Clean Clothes, Fresh Start: How Portland's Wash House Supports the Unhoused

2026-03-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

Clean Clothes, Fresh Start: How Portland’s Wash House Supports the Unhoused

By Nnamdi Ugonna

When people think about solutions to homelessness, they often imagine large-scale housing projects or major policy changes. While those are important, smaller community programs can also make a powerful difference in people’s everyday lives. In Portland, services that address basic needs such as hygiene, storage, and access to resources, help people maintain dignity and stability while they work towards long-term housing.

One example is Portland’s new laundry facility program designed to support people experiencing homelessness. The program, known as The Wash House, allows individuals to drop off a bag of laundry and pick it up, cleaned and dried later the same day. Programs like this may seem simple, but they address a real challenge for people living outside. Without access to laundry, clothing and bedding often have to be thrown away when they become dirty or wet, which increases waste and makes daily life more difficult. According to the City of Portland, the program not only helps people maintain hygiene and health, but also creates job opportunities for participants who may face barriers to employment.

Services like laundry access, safe storage, and outreach programs highlight an important idea: solving homelessness requires more than just shelter. It requires support systems that help people maintain their health, belongings, and dignity. These smaller services can reduce stigma, improve wellbeing, and help people stay connected to employment and housing opportunities.

If communities want to make real progress on homelessness, investing in practical programs like these is a step in the right direction. Something as simple as access to clean clothes can restore confidence and create new opportunities.

Want to learn more about Portland’s Wash House program and how it supports people experiencing homelessness? Click here to read more:
https://www.portland.gov/homelessness-impact-reduction/news/2024/11/26/city-launches-laundry-program-serving-people

What makes Mobile Asset Storage Security Programs not as good as they seem?

2026-03-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

An in-depth analysis on the measures of break-ins on mobile assets storage security programs and their rates

Mobile asset storage programs are designed to deter break-ins and robberies, with many different kinds of effective security measures. Automated locks, cameras, motion censored lights, you name it. But just how effective is this equipment, and does it truly make a difference?

When first hearing about this tech, it can be pretty easy to immediately assume that this would work. Outdoor locks, cameras to pick up license plates and faces, alarms to be sounded when there is an intruder. This begins to sound even more enticing when there can be a layered approach to how much security you use. But let's go over it a little more in-depthly.

There are many companies that will go over their decreased rates of theft or loss, but that is a key word. Loss. Most companies cannot or do not measure this based solely off of theft. So there is no true measure to what is lost or stolen. Some forms of tech can measure this best, this is true. But most companies will measure it as a whole, skewing the data. My point is, there is little to no hard evidence that their products work! One example is the RFID. RFID Tracking is a tracking company that is known for saving the usual hassle and time of scanning barcodes, and also shows real-time inventory visibility. This is great, but as of its security measures? One thing that this company noticed when they started implementing their technology into companies was a 50–70% reduction in asset loss or theft compared with manual tracking systems. Again. Key word, loss. This is great for keeping track of inventory, but by no means shows or prevents how much of the given product has been stolen. It will only tell you how much is missing, after it's gone.

The cost of this tech is also an important play on mobile asset storage prices. Many companies do not see the value of it. There is a high upfront cost to this. Cameras are expensive and hard to replace/repair, expensive automated locks are nice, but how much of a difference does that really make compared to regular steel locks? What is an automated light to a brazen burglar who already has his face covered?

There is also another consideration; many companies don’t need this. Deep in rural country, neighborhoods, and small towns do not tend to need this technology. Its excessive! Cities may be different, but then there are still so many people around, so it can become absolute. There are, of course, times when it is smart or necessary to invest in this, but many companies do not see the need, and don’t end up needing it.

There is also the overreliance on technology. Many people forget that technology isn’t foolproof. Business owners may not wish to solely rely on tech, or it can be confusing and overly complicated. Maybe they don’t want to spend the time and energy on training their employees with the new technology. There could be false alarms, they could lose power, or even the tech itself could be stolen. The tech that is supposed to protect their goods could be more valuable than the actual goods themselves! To many people, there are too many variables and too many risks to owning mobile asset storage programs.

These businesses promise peace of mind and security, but to many business owners, this only promises them high costs, repairs, risk of damage, extra work, and no guarantee against the risk of theft. With all of this in mind, is it really always the smartest decision to invest in mobile asset storage security?

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Click here: https://owasp.org/www-project-mobile-top-10/2023-risks/m9-insecure-data-storage to learn more about where mobile asset storage security programs have failed and proven to be faulty.

How Secure Storage Helps People Rebuild Stability

2026-03-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

How Secure Storage Helps People Rebuild Stability

By: Aidan Paul

A common worry for many homeless people is that their possessions might be lost, stolen, or thrown away. Since there is nowhere safe to keep important things like identification cards, prescription drugs, clothes, and personal documents, they are frequently carried at all times. While this may seem like a small issue from the outside, secure storage can actually play a major role in helping people rebuild stability.

One of the most valuable things a person can own are identification documents. It might be quite challenging to apply for jobs, get certain social assistance, or finish housing applications without an ID. Many homeless people just do not have the time or money to replace these documents in the event that they are lost or stolen. Another essential thing is medication. Prescription drugs are used by many people to treat medical issues, but it can be difficult to keep medications safe when living outside. A person's capacity to maintain their health can be interfered with by weather, theft, and unintentional loss. Work-related items are also crucial. Having the right tools, uniforms, and clean clothes can make all the difference in whether or not you can attend a job interview. Losing these things can make it more difficult for someone to get or keep a job.

Several areas have started experimenting with storage systems for homeless people, and these initiatives have shown that offering secure locations for possessions may improve stability. By delivering secure storage to the locations where people most need it, mobile asset storage initiatives could expand on these concepts and make it even more accessible. Although it can seem like a small effort, helping people safeguard their possessions can make a big difference. People are better able to concentrate on reconstructing their lives and pursuing long-term stability when essential objects are secure.

Click Here for information about homeless storage in the Portland area.

2026-03-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

What If You Had Nowhere Safe to Put the Most Important Things in Your Life?

Picture this.

You’re trying to keep a job.

You have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow.

You’re waiting to hear back about housing.

Now imagine that everything you own fits in one backpack — and that backpack could disappear tonight.

For many people living outside in Portland, this isn’t a thought experiment. It’s daily life.

IDs get stolen.

Medications are ruined by rain.

Work clothes disappear during sweeps.

Phones — lifelines to jobs, family, and services — vanish.

When that happens, people don’t just lose belongings. They lose momentum.

One missing ID can mean no job application. One stolen prescription can mean a hospital visit. One lost phone can mean missed housing placement.

And suddenly someone who was moving forward is pushed months back.

If we are serious about reducing homelessness, we have to stop ignoring these quieter setbacks that keep people stuck.

You can help change that.

Support practical, immediate solutions that protect people’s documents, medications, and essential belongings — the small stabilizers that make big progress possible.

https://www.myshyft.com/blog/secure-employee-locker-systems-portland-oregon/

2026-03-10T14:05:08.451-07:00

The Hidden Barrier No One Talks About

Most shelters offer little or no secure storage. Many people can’t access shelters at all. That means carrying everything, everywhere, all the time.

That isn’t just exhausting — it makes people targets.

It also makes it nearly impossible to:

Sit through a job interview
Attend a medical appointment
Take a training class
Work a shift
Rest without fear

And when belongings pile up on sidewalks, tensions rise. Neighbors get frustrated. Cleanups happen. Losses repeat.

It becomes a cycle.

Secure storage is a simple, practical solution that helps people stabilize and move forward. It reduces sidewalk clutter, protects essential belongings, and gives people the ability to show up for work, healthcare, and opportunity.

It’s time to invest in real solutions. Support secure storage programs in our communities.

https://www.portland.gov/homelessness-impact-reduction/day-storage

Why Safe Storage Can Be a Lifeline in Portland

2026-03-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

Why Safe Storage Can Be a Lifeline in Portland

By Nnamdi Ugonna

When people think about homelessness in Portland, they often imagine the need for housing or shelter. But one major challenge that many people overlook is something much simpler: a safe place to store personal belongings. For individuals experiencing homelessness, items like identification, medications, work clothes, and personal documents are essential for accessing services, applying for jobs, or attending appointments. Without secure storage, these items can easily be lost, stolen, or thrown away, thus creating another barrier to stability.

Recognizing this issue, the City of Portland created a Day Storage Program where individuals can safely store belongings during the day while they work, attend appointments, or seek services. According to the city, the program was created because lack of secure storage is a major barrier preventing people from accessing services, employment, and other daily activities. The facility allows people to drop off belongings during the day and retrieve them later, helping them move through the city without carrying everything they own. It also creates employment opportunities by hiring staff; including people who have previously experienced homelessness to help run the program.

Programs like this might seem small, but they address an important piece of the larger homelessness crisis. If someone loses their ID, medication, or important paperwork, it can delay access to housing, healthcare, or employment for weeks or even months. Something as simple as a secure storage space can protect these essentials and give people a better chance at rebuilding stability.

If Portland wants to create real solutions to homelessness, addressing practical barriers like safe storage is an important step. Protecting someone’s belongings can also protect their opportunities for recovery and independence.

Want to learn more about how Portland’s storage program works?
Click here to learn more about the City of Portland Day Storage Program

We Need To Stop Criminalizing Homelessness

2026-03-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

We Need To Stop Criminalizing Homelessness

By Emily Le

Imagine this: you walk down the streets of the city and notice that many homeless individuals are being forced to leave their tents and current living situations. What are your immediate thoughts? Do you think they deserve to be seen as criminals for not having a place to live?

Homelessness is one of the most crucial issues in the United States today. Many people live without a roof, experience financial difficulties, and suffer health issues due to the rising costs of housing, unemployment, and lack of access to healthcare or support services. As they struggle to find a way to live in society, these individuals also experience being perceived as criminals by the public. This heightens the problem even more, trapping the issue of homelessness in a small box that seems impossible to fix.

Because, the truth is, the criminalization of homelessness exists. There are laws that prohibit sleeping, camping, and sitting in public places, as well as effectively punishing many individuals for not having nowhere to live. Fines, citations, and arrest warrants lead to criminal records that create barriers to many opportunities for a better life. When cities put these laws in effect, this traps many people in an impossible situation. If there is no access to affordable housing and shelter spaces, where would they go? And most importantly, it does not help that laws and policies portray these individuals as criminals in our society.

In many ways, criminalization allows punishments to happen to people who have no control over their circumstances. Instead of finding solutions to the problem, the act of criminalization worsens it by creating barriers that make it even more challenging for people to get out of being homeless.

My final point is, criminalization allows the society to utilize resources on law enforcement and containment instead of supporting and finding solutions, such as funding for affordable housing, free universal healthcare, and employment opportunities. It is important that we find ways to end the criminalization of homelessness and address the root causes to find a helpful solution.

To learn more about how criminalization affects homeless individuals and think about what you can do to end it, click here.