A famous dad (Kurt Vonnegut) and an infamous mental illness

by Julia Cechvala, Contributing Writer

A few years before he died I had the pleasure of seeing Kurt Vonnegut speak to a sold-out crowd at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. I remember him saying he didn’t have much hope for the world, we’ve screwed it up too badly already, but that a few things still make life worthwhile, one of them being music. On that note he ended his talk, cued the auditorium to fill with the transcendent notes of Strauss’ “Blue Danube” and proceeded to waltz around the stage with an imaginary partner.

Kurt passed on his enjoyment of the arts as a saving grace to his son Mark Vonnegut, who includes a few of his own paintings in his new memoir, “Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So.” Growing up in a household with a long history of mental illness and a father who spoke of suicide casually, Mark tells how the arts have been a coping strategy throughout his life in dealing with bipolar disorder. Mark’s story of humility and grace in striving to live a normal life and maintaining a demanding career — all while living with mental illness — is worthy in it’s own right. That it offers insight into what it was like to be the son of one of America’s most famous authors is just a bonus.

How housing faired at the past session in Salem

by Alison McIntosh, Contributing Writer

Looking ahead to February 2012 — our voices can create housing opportunity. The State Legislature has been adjourned for over two weeks now, and we’re a little more than two weeks into the new state budget.  The dust is settling, but the full impact of the work of the Legislature on Oregonians struggling to make ends meet won’t be known for many months.

We all need a safe, stable place to call home.  Our state and our communities are stronger and better when everyone has access to opportunity, which comes from having a place to call home.

The Oregon Housing Alliance — a coalition of organizations from across the state concerned about the lack of affordable housing — has worked along with other housing advocates since 2004 to secure the resources we need to create strong communities across Oregon. 

Review of housing set aside reveals positive results

By John Miller, Contributing Writer

As a long time advocate for affordable homes here in Portland I was very happy to discover that the city has exceeded its ‘TIF Set Aside” spending on affordable housing in urban renewal districts over the past five years. I am involved in a review panel that’s looking at the past five years’ performance and then making recommendations for the next five years.  It’s heartening to see that the city has made good, at least in large part, on this critical commitment.

Without getting too “wonky,” here’s some background. TIF stands for Tax Increment Financing, the primary source of funding for development in urban renewal areas.  In 2006 the City of Portland adopted the “TIF Set Aside” that mandated that 30% of all TIF funds in urban renewal districts be spent on affordable housing. Further, the City defined a set of income guidelines to make sure that the money was spent to meet our city’s greatest housing needs. Lastly, the city mandated that the 30% goal applied to each district, and not as a city wide goal (an important distinction  — more on that below).

Photographers for Hope put a focus on street paper work

Street Roots is wrapping up a week in Glasgow, Scotland, with sister papers from around the world, talking about how to make a global movement even stronger.

A highlight of the 16^thAnnual Conference of the International Network of Street Papers was the show by Photographers for Hope, a volunteer collective that includes legendary photographer David Burnett.  The project had professional photographers working with street vendors to produce an exhibit that debuted at the BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow and will be in display all month at the city’s library. Within the span of one week, the vendors worked to shoot the photos, edit them with the team and set up a powerful exhibit.

Photos of the exhibit will be posted soon, but one Glaswegian street paper vendor, Joan, pictured above, lit up the audience with her work and her story. She is nearly entirely blind, but used the camera as an extension of her view of the world, and to give people a glimpse into her own. She never stopped smiling throughout, and said that selling the newspaper in the UK gave her her life back. She was blinded in a car accident, which left her unable to work or keep her apartment. She became homeless and began selling The Big Issue Scotland, the local street paper, which now supports her and her newfound love – photography!

Look for more photos as Internet problems are sorted out and the files are uploaded.  Sorry for the delay but they are worth the wait!

Posted by Joanne Zuhl

 

Vial of Life: Helping save lives at the Downtown Chapel

By Stacy Brownhill, Staff Writer

How much good can a small red pouch, zip tie and sheet of paper do for someone living on the streets? Turns out, a lot.

Downtown Chapel is pioneering an innovative, potentially life-saving program for medically vulnerable people experiencing homelessness called the Vial of Life program. It’s actually an adaptation of a nationally established program used by people who have homes, applied now to those who do not.

Homeless participants can fill out a one-page sheet listing medical illnesses, prescriptions, emergency contacts, allergies and blood type, stuff it into a red plastic pouch no bigger than an index card, and attach it to their backpack. The “vial” provides an easily identifiable, relatively reliable record to emergency personnel, and Downtown Chapel keeps a copy in case the original is lost.

Since June, around 40 homeless individuals have participated in the Vial of Life program at Downtown Chapel, meeting one-on-one for a few minutes with volunteer nursing students from University of Portland who help them fill out medical information and even call pharmacies if there are questions about prescriptions.

Reviews by participants have been “over the moon,” says Andrew Noethe, pastoral associate at Downtown Chapel who is overseeing the implementation of the Vial of Life program in collaboration with parish nurse Sharon Christenson. Participant Michelle says she recommends it to other friends on the street who have seizures or diabetes and thinks there should be “a lot more awareness” about the Vial of Life program.

Dancing on Belmont with the hottest news in town

By Kaisa McCrow, Contributing Writer

The Walgreen’s on Southeast Belmont sits on the east side of 39th. The busy road becomes a heavily car-trafficked cut-off from the bars, shops, and foot traffic west of there. It’s quiet in the warm morning sun, and Street Roots vendor Jeffrey McCall steps in and out of the sun, taking shade under the covered area of the store entrance. After six months of working this spot, he has built a comfortable relationship with Walgreen’s, so standing on the property is permitted in his case, a nice relief for summer days. He shifts his weight back and forth, foot-to-foot, bouncing in and out of the shade in a slow, repetitive rhythm. One of his regulars dubbed him “the dancer,” because of this constant motion, an unconscious habit formed to alleviate the strain of a life spent working on his feet. On this hot summer morning, he seems to be swaying to the pace of the July day.

He says that he doesn’t feel all that removed from the crowds on Belmont and Hawthorne on this side of 39th. In fact, he has pretty steady business, a slew of regular clientele, and a great relationship with the staff and management at Walgreen’s. He has friends in this part of southeast, and the area has grown into something of a niche for him and others. In the course of our conversation, two Street Roots vendors stop by, (one of them is the vendor who first connected Jeffrey to Street Roots) and invites him to a 4th of July barbecue. We also chat at length with Steve, a regular from the neighborhood, who regaled us with jokes and stories of his military days.

Talking LGBT rights on the streets with Sue Hyde

By Beatrice Bell, Street News Service

Sue Hyde, director of the Creating Change Conference for The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, has been a beacon in the world of LGBT rights, drawing fire, but also guiding countless advocates and activists on a new course for gay rights. She has been a leader in the fights to repeal sodomy laws, to end the military’s ban on openly gay service members, to defend non-discrimination laws in cities and states, and to preserve marriage rights for same-sex couples. Her book, “Come Out and Win,” is a primer for the gay rights movement nationwide. Here Hyde talks about the challenges faced by homeless gay teens and what can be done to help them.

Beatrice Bell: Tell me a little bit about the National Lesbian & Gay Task Force.

Sue Hyde: The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force is a national advocacy organization that works to create a society in which lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people will have full legal equality and absolute social acceptance. That’s our mission, that’s what we’re working towards, that’s our vision, that’s our goal.

Making change on the streets of Philadelphia

New street paper joins Street Roots and others around the world to talk missions, campaigns and making a difference in people’s lives

At 18 months, Philadelphia’s One Step Away is among the newest street newspapers in the North American Street Newspaper Association. Editor Kevin Roberts is now in Glasgow, Scotland for his first conference of the International Network of Street Papers – a 112-member organization. One Step Away is a program of Resources for Human Development, a national human-services nonprofit with headquarters in Philadelphia. The paper publishes 15,000 copies each a month, helping between 20 and 50 vendors earn an income in their community.

Kevin Roberts: We have a great many vendors who just use the program a little bit here and there. That’s OK; we’re happy to meet them where they are, so to speak.

RHD supports homeless shelters in Philadelphia, and we approached the people there and said: What do you think? They just overwhelmed us with their enthusiasm for it. They really wanted it – and far more than the income model of the vending, they wanted a voice. They wanted a place to tell their stories. A group of remarkable people in our homeless shelters really drove this thing and made it happen.

Street Roots: What is the state of homelessness in Philadelphia?

K.R.: Philadelphia has a very small street homeless population; around 500 people. The vast majority of homeless are residing in various city shelters, which brings its own challenges. Like most places, Philly is seeing a rise in homelessness, particularly among families. And, like most places, we’re cutting services at the same time. They’re closing the largest men’s homeless shelter in the city – a story we broke because, of course, so many of our folks were in the shelter and were the first to know.

Oregon Opportunity Network’s John Miller

By Joanne Zuhl, Staff writer

Oregon’s network of community development organizations — those developers, nonprofits and agencies that have been the backbone of affordable housing and economic development for low-income, elderly and disabled Oregonians — has taken a thrashing in the past few years.

The recession hit community development corporations, or CDCs, front and back, cutting resources while increasing demand. Despite progress in preserving and creating apartments and homes affordable to people in poverty, they haven’t kept pace with the growing ranks of their clientele.

The Oregon Opportunity Network, or Oregon ON, represents those developers, housing authorities, investors, service providers and community leaders that make affordable housing happen in Oregon. Combined, they have developed more than 16,000 units of housing, including single-family homes, and helped counsel and support more than 10,000 new homebuyers annually, according to Oregon ON.

In May, John Miller took the helm of Oregon ON as its new executive director, having served for nine years as the executive director of HOST Development, a nonprofit community development organization that built homes for low- and moderate-income buyers in Portland.

Although the recession is “technically” over, the wake of the housing collapse and economic uncertainty continues to roil the marketplace and political halls. Street Roots talked with Miller about the state of affordable housing, the message from member developers, and the challenges ahead.

Joanne Zuhl: The big question: What is the pulse of affordable housing in Portland?

 John Miller: I think that we have a really strong set of folks who are doing their best to deliver affordable housing with the resources that they have. And that we also have a city that is committed to delivering a reliable supply of affordable housing. But I think that, as always, and this has been the same, recession or no, that there are not enough resources to meet the needs. I started in the affordable-housing industry in 2002, and at that time real estate was going up, and there were still really not enough affordable shelter at all at that point. And I think we’re worse now because the recession has created a huge demand.

And the big issue often is we supply housing but we don’t supply all the services that go along with the housing, and those service dollars are still missing. And just like eight years ago, they’re still not here. Overall, we have more units, which is great, but we also have a much higher demand.

State of Oregon human services budget ‘horrendous’

By Amanda Waldroupe, Staff Writer

Four months ago, the proposed cuts to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program threatened to cut an estimated 8,000 from needed assistance to stay in housing, secure work and raise children.

But despite a tight human services budget and a $3.5 billion funding shortfall that the Oregon Legislature had to close, many cuts to the TANF program were avoided. The 60-month time limit, which is how long a family may receive a monthly cash grant of up to $506, was preserved. Gov. John Kitzhaber had proposed an 18-month life-time limit that would have made Oregon the most stringent in the nation.

The big busk is on today in downtown Portland

Starting at 11AM today street musicians will be playing throughout downtown Portland for the Big Busk.

The event is the 3rd Annual in Portland, and continues to grow. You can view a schedule of musicians playing today.

Back in February,  SR covered the new Street Musicians Agreement between downtown local businesses and musicians.

Commissioner Amanda Fritz who is in charge of the process also wrote an op-ed for the paper.

SR volunteer and writer Sue Zalokar will be playing today at SW 4th & Morrison from 1-2pm, and again on SW 9th and Yamhill from 2-3pm.

BTA: One bad accident puts healthy streets in a whole new light

By Rob Sadowsky, Contributing Columnist

I broke my collarbone and three ribs two months ago. I needed to make significant adjustments to my regular commute to work as a daily bicyclist. Walking and taking transit is something I generally enjoy. I like the extra time it may take to arrive at my destination, for I see new sights, hear new sounds, and experience life from a different viewpoint. But I also carry stuff: a lunch, a book to read, my notebook, a water bottle and often a sweater. I couldn’t carry stuff on my body with a broken collarbone — no backpack, no messenger bag. So, I loaded up my stuff into a rolling backpack I had at home and began a new street experience.

Streets are complicated places designed for many different users crisscrossing their way. When our streets are designed well, we move fluidly with no worries of obstacles. When our streets are overfilled, the flow slows down or stops, or in common vernacular, it “locks.” Our streets do not end at the curb — they extend through the sidewalk experience, and when you do that they get even more complicated. We’ll dance our way through the sidewalk experience in different ways than we might if we were driving a car. We rarely think of our sidewalk traffic locking up like our automobile congested streets do, but they present challenges and roadblocks, just the same.

New laws will change the way the Oregon State Hospital admits, releases patients

By Amanda Waldroupe, Staff Writer

The Oregon Legislature adjourned on June 30, and in its final week, passed two bills reforming the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB) that aim to eventually reduce the number of people staying, and the length of stays in the Oregon State Hospital

House Bill 3100 and Senate Bill 420 passed both the House and Senate with large margins and now await Gov. John Kitzhaber’s signature. He is expected to sign them into law.

Chris Bouneff, the executive director of Oregon’s chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness, said the bills will make the most substantive reforms to Oregon’s mental health system in years.

State loses fed contract on Section 8 contract management

by Staff Reports

Oregon state housing programs got a major shake-up this month when Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) failed to secure a key federal Section 8 housing assistance contract.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, announced July 1 that the OHCS was not selected to continue serving as the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Performance-Based Contract Administrator for Oregon.

Human Rights Commission wants offensive language out of City Charter

Digging into the weeds of the Portland City Charter, the city’s Human Rights Commission came across offensive language on “vagrants” and “cripples” it wants to see changed.

The commission is recommending to its members who also serve on the Charter Review Commission that the following provisions in the current charter be changed to reflect human dignity:

2-105 (51) – Vagrancy
51. To define what constitutes vagrancy, and to provide for the support,
restraint, punishment and employment of vagrants and paupers.
2-105(54) – Exhibition of cripples; begging
54. To prohibit the exhibition of deformed or crippled persons, and to
prohibit all persons from begging upon the streets or in public places.

“Particularly why those stand out to The Human Rights Commission is because of the increase in the homeless population,” said Donita Fry, chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission. The commission’s letter to the Charter Commission members also said that “referring to individuals as paupers and cripples is not appropriate in any setting, much less the “constitution” of the City of Portland.”

The letter, signed by Fry, refers to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the General Assembly of the United Nations. “That document underscores the inherent dignity and worth of all members of the human family. The First Article states, ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.’

“We ask the current Charter Review Commission to address these two provisions of the Charter and to send to the voters a clear choice for addressing these offensive City Charter provisions,” states the letter, sent via e-mail.

Oregon’s point-in-time count identified 22,116 people experiencing homelessness, a 29 percent increase over the count conducted in 2009.

The Human Rights Commission has also come out critical of the city’s Sidewalk Management Ordinance, which dictates times and locations where people can sit on a sidewalk. The vast majority of those cited under the ordinance in the past year reported being homeless, according to the police reports. The commission has called that ordinance an “arbitrary hammer” with an inequitable impact that “violates international human rights standards.”

The provisions above came to the attention of the Human Rights Commission as it is seeking to have language inserted into the charter to make the commission a permanent entity within in the city.

Posted by Joanne Zuhl