Focusing on Housing & Houselessness and hosted by Frann Michel, this episode includes these segments:
Portland's Housing Crisis and Solutions: In 2015, the City of Portland declared a housing emergency. Ten years later, more people in Portland are unhoused or precariously housed than ever. In this segment we talk with Sandra Comstock about how we got here and what we can do about it. Sandra Comstock (Ph.D. Sociology, Cornell U.) is Founder and Executive Director of Hygiene4All, which provides services to houseless neighbors including showers and laundry, and is on the Steering Committee of the Welcome Home Coalition, which advocates for policies that address the root causes of the housing crisis. Dr. Comstock recently released papers on The State of Our Affordability & Homelessness Crisis in Portland Metro & Oregon (Aug 2025) and The 2024 Performance of Multnomah County Housing and Sheltering Strategies (Final White Paper). She spoke with Frann Michel about the impacts of recent cuts to housing support, the problems with shifting of funds from housing to shelter strategies, and the promise of social housing. The next meeting of the City Council's Homelessness and Housing Committee is Tuesday, September 23, at 12 noon.
Contradictions of Housing Under Capitalism (Archive): In this 2015 segment, Joe Clement introduces Frann Michel sharing selections from readings about Profits and the Housing Crisis, the limits of Inclusionary Zoning, and struggles for tenant control. The piece has been edited for this re-broadcast to omit announcements of what were then upcoming events, but we encourage listeners to find out more about the Renters' Bill of Rights and Local Tenant Advocacy.
Houselessness in Ashland (Rebroadcast): In this 2021 selection from the Rural Organizing Project podcast Rural Roots Rising, we hear from the Ashland High School Truth to Power Club's podcast project Tea Toast and Truth, in which they talk with members of the homeless community, home free and homeless rights activists, and the Ashland Chief of Police. For more from houseless neighbors in Portland, listen to Out of the Streets of Portland.