Portland's Housing Crisis: Can Affordable Living Be Fixed?

Portland is facing a big problem with affordable housing. Many people are struggling to find a place to live that they can afford. Ambrose Haynes is one of them. He spent months waiting for help, but it never came. He wanted to live in a place where the rent was not too high, but he couldn't find one. So, he had to rent an apartment on his own, which cost him a lot of money. The problem is not just with Ambrose. Many people in Portland are having the same issue. There are thousands of empty apartments that are supposed to be affordable, but people can't get into them. The people who run these apartments are also having a hard time. They are losing money because the rent they charge is not enough to cover their costs. The government is trying to help, but it is not enough. They are giving money to build new apartments, but the ones that already exist are not being taken care of. Some of these apartments have problems like drug dealing and pests. This makes it hard for people to want to live there.There are also problems with the waitlists for these apartments. Many people are waiting for a long time, but they never hear back. This is because the system is not working well. Some people give up and try to find a place on their own, like Ambrose did. Another problem is that the rent for these apartments is almost the same as the rent for regular apartments. This makes it hard for people to choose between them. Some people would rather live in a regular apartment, even if it costs more. The people who run these apartments are asking for more money from the government. They want to be able to pay their debts and lower the rent. But the government is not giving them enough money. This is making the problem worse. There are some people who are trying to fix the problem. They are using technology to help find people who need apartments. But it is not enough. There are still thousands of empty apartments, and thousands of people who need a place to live. Ambrose is one of the lucky ones. He was able to find a place to live and a job that pays enough money. But he knows that many people are still struggling. He wants the system to work better so that everyone can have a place to live.