The Oregon Legislature is just one entity that pumped a lot of money into addressing homelessness this year. But no one is under the illusion that the spending means there will be a big change in the near future.
Homelessness--by that name--has been an issue for decades. The National Coalition for the Homeless includes many formerly homeless people on its staff and board, and tracks the contributing factors. Among them: federal law that caps public housing. That's the Faircloth Amendment from 1998.
NCH Executive Director Donald H. Whitehead, Jr. visits with details on this and other aspects of homelessness.