Homelessness

Cian Galindo, Lewis Moore & Oscar Yanez-Hernandez

April 3, 2024

In recent years, there has been a dramatic rise in homelessness in America. In particular, Oregon has been hit pretty hard. The homeless population in Oregon has skyrocketed in recent years due to the decriminalization of hard drugs, the housing crisis, and financial setbacks from the pandemic. 

Brookings, Oregon has experienced this firsthand. Our small town has been flooded with homeless people experiencing these problems. Our team interviewed an expert on this issue, who has a background in law enforcement. The BHSD School Resource Officer, Ray Branion weighed in. 

The main problem affecting our homeless population is the decriminalization of small-dosage hard drugs. “The three main drugs throughout our community are fentanyl, meth, and heroin,” Branion said.

According to KOIN, “there are about 17,000 homeless in Oregon. That is about 12% less than in 2023.” This means that there is a downward rise in homelessness.

Weather can affect the homeless. "During the winter, a homeless person’s main goal is to hunker down and survive. During summer, they travel and try to get bus passes," Brandon said.

The homeless problem in Brookings is bad year round, but in the summer it gets worse. The homeless people become more irritated and grow in numbers. They leave more trash behind and sometimes instill fear in the locals.

There is help available for the homeless residents in Brookings. There are several help centers for the homeless all over Brookings. Including the CORE response team, the community shelter in Gold Beach, and St. Timothy's church in Brookings.

Oregon in general has one of the leading homeless populations in the country, says KOIN Oregon. "It has had a 31.7% increase since 2020." 

One of the main contributors to this increase in the homeless population is the housing crisis. According to a report by Ceic Data, ”Homes have increased in price by 88% in the last decade. When the pandemic hit prices went up 15 percent and it became hard to find a home.”

This huge spike in rent made housing unaffordable to some people who were already suffering from low income. This made it even more difficult for homeless people to buy housing since most homeless people are unable to get jobs because of a lack of access to cleaning stations, hygiene products, and rehabilitation centers.

“The most likely reason for the homeless not getting jobs is the inability to stay sober,” said Branion.

“The dropout rate for homeless youth is at a staggering 87%, which in comparison to the average housed youth is 24.1% in America,” said the National Safety Council. This is a huge deal because the average income between people with high school diplomas or GED's and those who don't have high school diplomas is a $200 difference weekly.

According to a report from the American Addiction Center, “Most research shows that around 1/3 of people who are homeless have problems with alcohol/drugs. Those who use drugs are seven times more likely to be homeless over the years.”

One study from the American Addiction Center found that “homeless people had a higher risk of opioid overdose, with an adjusted risk rate of 18% for the homeless.”

There are many options for treatment involving drug/alcohol addiction however there are many who don't have access or refuse treatment, which increases their probability to stay homeless and addicted to substances. 

The most popular treatments for substance abuse are Detoxification, Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy, and Medication-Assisted Therapy. All of these treatments are available at most help centers and rehabs all over America. 

“Overdose rates have increased 50-fold since the introduction of Fentanyl in 2010,” says the Center for Disease Control (CDC). “Oregon ranked 34th among states in its rate of drug overdose deaths in 2021— and the dire lack of places low-income people can afford to live."

Do people who have access to housing have a significantly higher life expectancy compared to the average homeless person in America? Yes, according to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, “people who don't have access to housing have an average life expectancy of around 50 years of age, which is almost 20 years lower than people who have access to housing.”

"Drugs/alcohol are a huge factor in why people end up on the streets. These substances put homeless lives at risk. These choices homeless people make affect their lives and cut it short. Among homeless individuals nearly 11%, among veterans by 7.4%, and among families with children by 15.5%," says VA.gov. 

Police left without to help, and over 112,000 are dead from hard drugs.

“This issue has been on the rise since the introduction of fentanyl in 2008, which has killed over a quarter of a million people since 2018,” according to usafacts.com.    

“Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has the potential for an OD with just 2mg, It can be put in anything, even other drugs. The likelihood of a drug being laced is 6 out of 10," according to the DEA. 

It is a serious problem for the youth of America and the general public. 2nd hand fentanyl has killed over a thousand people, most of which are young children or babies. Even just a little bit of the smoke or dust of this drug causes secondhand fentanyl. 

Just in our small community, we have over 200 homeless who are permanent residents in Brooking.  

“In 2024, Prop 110 got rolled back, meaning that people found with a small dosage of hard drugs will be subject to 110 days in jail,” says The Guardian. Now more than ever, taking any drugs has an extreme risk of overdose. 

The fentanyl crisis puts everyday Americans at risk of Overdose. The average person living on the street is far more vulnerable to overdose on substances compared to housed individuals. 

Homeless people face much more dangers and risks than people who have access to housing. They are more susceptible to laced drugs, fentanyl overdose, drug addiction, and alcohol addiction. 

Photo Credit: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2019/06/03/give-them-shelter-library-camping-bans/