Michael Votta passed away on Portland’s streets last week. He was an artist and a friend to many people, inside and out. For many, Michael’s life represents the failure of a system to help thousands of people suffering to find stability and housing. They ...
16 Jul 2015 - Israel Bayer
The streets are hot, literally. It’s summertime in the city. People are everywhere. If you are a Portlander then you’re probably spending as much time as possible soaking up the sun. It’s that time. The days are longer. Our senses seem sharper. The mornin ...
18 Jun 2015 - Israel Bayer
For two days this spring, Street Roots vendors, volunteers, staff and board met to hash out what the next three years of the organization might look like. Understanding that Street Roots went to a weekly publication schedule in January, something the orga ...
12 Jun 2015 - Israel Bayer
People ask me, why should I invest in Street Roots? We believe in people. We work to give hundreds of people a hand up on a weekly basis. In fact, each year we give nearly 400 people experiencing homelessness and poverty an alternative income through sale ...
22 May 2015 - Israel Bayer
"There’s really nothing than can prepare you for an experience like this,” said T.J., holding his four-week-old child. “I’m working full-time, but we just couldn’t hold on. We’re doing everything we can to get back on our feet.” That was the story t ...
15 May 2015 - Israel Bayer
It would be easy for Street Roots to play it safe and to not take on some of the most complex issues of our time. We could walk the straight and narrow, and simply focus on one aspect of poverty and choose to not rock the boat when it comes to thinking ab ...
1 May 2015 - Israel Bayer
Before I start this column, I would like to say that I’m a huge fan of public transit. I haven’t owned or driven a car since I was 21. Without public transportation, my experience in Portland and in many other cities would have been dull and bland. Saying ...
24 Apr 2015 - Israel Bayer
Parenting program for mothers in the correctional facility should be expanded, not cancelled The Family Preservation Project is a parenting program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville. The program is a partnership between Portland Communi ...
27 Feb 2015 - Israel Bayer
The landscape of Portland is changing before our eyes. New housing and business developments, apartment buildings and condos are popping up across neighborhoods. It’s a brand new era. There’s money to be made, and lots of it. Saying all of that, we’re pr ...
20 Feb 2015 - Israel Bayer
Portland, like many cities throughout the United States, finds itself at a crossroads. How do we collectively tackle the housing crisis and begin to really put the resources needed into ending homelessness? Anna Griffin’s series on homelessness in The Ore ...
18 Feb 2015 - Israel Bayer