I think this assumes a few things

I feel like you're suggesting that people started using drugs or became mentally ill because they couldn't afford housing. I'm skeptical, I admit.

But again, I think those are the 10% of the population that is 90% of the visibility. I agree we should focus on the 90% of the population that doesn't go around committing crimes. However, you cannot have policy without touching on the 10%, no matter how small of a population it is, because (and I cannot stress this enough) that is what people see and experience.

If it's a housing crisis, why does over half the PIT count of Portland report having lived here for less than two years? There is *something* drawing them here from elsewhere.

Otherwise, I absolutely agree that permitting and regulation are killing new construction. The fact that our metro government can't build a low income studio for under 500k seems...off.

Lastly, for all the money nonprofits rake in on attempting to address homelessness, why can't we feature more families that genuinely can be helped?

How hard would it be to say "ok, here's bob and mary, 3 kids, sleep in their car. This is how we get them back on track in their lives". Show the nation there are people just like them that have problems that can be solved, *and* those people absolutely want to solve them, and I think you'll have far more support.

Think Habitat - we all helped build houses, but those families rolled up their sleeves and helped right along with us. I think it'd go a long way.