OPINION | House Bill 2001 expands on Gov. Kotek's homelessness state of emergency People across the state are struggling with homelessness, and it’s not always easy to see. Not only are people in tents, but also in RVs and campers without access to w ...
1 Mar 2023 - Kaia Sand
OPINION | Commissioner Rene Gonzalez's decision to halt tent distribution is punitive, performative and dangerous There are details I remember — the winter rain, the distraught woman with her hands shaking and red with cold. Her husband, feverish, ly ...
22 Feb 2023 - Kaia Sand
OPINION | County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson announces plan to begin housing homeless Multnomah County residents Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson announced a planned $14 million investment to begin housing homeless Multnomah County residents F ...
8 Feb 2023 - Kaia Sand
OPINION | Late vendor Dennis Chavez taught us lessons in grace An elderly man pumped his fists to “Back in Black” by AC/DC, his wheelchair pivoting beneath his animated body. Kaia Sand is the executive director of Street Roots. This column represents her ...
1 Feb 2023 - Kaia Sand
OPINION | I believe in a future utilizing vacant spaces downtown “ Want to hear a joke?” Melissa hollered to me across the street. “Sure,” I hollered back. The light changed, and she began to cross the street, leaning on a walker that was heavy with belon ...
25 Jan 2023 - Kaia Sand
OPINION | Responsibilties of the state in addressing the homelessness crisis Steel your gaze on the state. Gov. Tina Kotek signaled she is prioritizing housing and homelessness by issuing three executive orders on her first day in office, Jan 10. Kaia San ...
18 Jan 2023 - Kaia Sand
OPINION | A tour through local government responsibility regarding homelessness. Who’s responsible for addressing homelessness locally? If you are confused, I commiserate. It takes a lot of tracking. Kaia Sand is the executive director of Street Roots. Th ...
11 Jan 2023 - Kaia Sand
OPINION | Street Roots editorial team continues in-depth coverage in 2023 The election of George Santos is a story of a depleted media landscape, argues Sarah Ellison of the Washington Post. George Santos is the newly elected New York Congressman who has ...
4 Jan 2023 - Kaia Sand
OPINION | Urban prosperity pairs with homelessness The rumor was that someone scooped a frozen hummingbird, hoping they could resuscitate it, but they were only met with the strange stillness of a usually fluttering bird. It was the coldest day of the yea ...
28 Dec 2022 - Kaia Sand
OPINION | After 20 years without teeth, Rick Davis begins the journey toward dental implants with a new friend He was wearing a neon vest, offering her an umbrella and a greeting, Gale Watson recalled how she first met long-time Street Roots vendor Rick D ...
21 Dec 2022 - Kaia Sand