When a job isn’t enough. Why do employed people still experience homelessness, and how can we help?
By Julie Showers
It’s not uncommon to read a comment online or hear someone say that the solution to an adult male’s homelessness is simple: “Get a job.”
But in cities like Portland, OR, where housing costs outpace wages, a paycheck often isn’t enough to secure an apartment. It’s not only a Portland problem. According to the US Census, almost half of renters are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing. That leaves less money for food, transportation, healthcare, and emergencies.
John stands outside his new apartment after connecting with housing assistance through Easterseals Oregon.
The average studio apartment in Portland rents for around $1,250 to $1,350 a month, according to Apartments.com.
That rent seems doable, you might think. But consider that people experiencing homelessness are often starting with nothing. They have no savings to cover application fees, security deposits, and moving costs. Then there are additional barriers like credit checks, background checks, and rental history requirements. Most landlords require applicants to earn 2.5-3 times the monthly rent, which means earning roughly $25–$30 per hour to qualify for an apartment on your own.
A Job Is Only the First Step
Finding a job is only the first step. For people trying to build a new life after the chaos of active addiction, incarceration, health crises, or financial hardship, those basic rental requirements can be impossible barriers. It can take months or even years to save up enough money for an apartment.
This is where public and private investment in social services play a critical role, helping people overcome barriers to housing.
John J. is an Army veteran who lost housing after illness and job loss.
“It happened so fast,” John shared. “I was at the same point again in my life, living month-to-month.”
John was not confident in the housing help he could receive from the Veterans Affairs (VA).
“A friend who was a veteran lived in a not very nice building, and I thought, ‘That’s what they were giving veterans? I don’t want that,'” he said.
He needed somewhere to stay. He needed time to regain work, savings, and health. It would take months, maybe longer. There are only a few places in Portland that can help someone in John’s position. Blanchet House welcomed him to stay in its transitional housing program, where he shared a room, with all costs covered by private donors.
Employed But Still Homeless
Like many adults experiencing homelessness, John’s life has been marked by hardship. He lost a previous apartment to a fire, a serious medical crisis left him hospitalized and on life support for 12 days, and he struggles with addiction.
Now with a room at Blanchet House, he had the gift of time and support. Finding a job at the airport didn’t take long, but finding housing would be more difficult. Without a place to live, he’d be homeless with a job. You’re unlikely to be successful at work without access to a bed, a shower, laundry, and safety. Knowing this, Blanchet House allows men to stay for up to 9 months.
Something people in John’s situation may not realize is that help can be hiding in plain sight. The challenge isn’t always that resources don’t exist. It’s that people need someone to help them find, navigate, and access them.
Easterseals Helps Veterans Find and Afford Housing
Blanchet House Resident Support Manager Jennifer Coon is a pro at navigating the complex system of public and private resources and how to qualify for them. She worked closely with John to figure out his options. Being a veteran opened the door to more services than a typical adult would have access to. A turning point came when Coon connected John with Easterseals Oregon Housing Navigator Joni Walker-Martinez.
Many people recognize the Easterseals name but may not realize the organization helps veterans and people facing barriers secure housing. Easterseals Oregon has been around for more than 100 years. Originally founded to support children with disabilities, the organization has expanded over time to serve adults with disabilities, provide multilingual employment services, connect older adults with job training, and help veterans secure permanent housing.
Through the Veterans Administration’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, Easterseals found John a studio apartment with a washer, dryer, and dishwasher. They will pay his full rent for more than 10 months before he transitions to a temporary shared-payment structure as he stabilizes financially.
“I direct my folks with barriers to property management groups that I’ve worked with in the past that I feel would accept our clients. If they are denied tenancy, I write appeal letters to get the denials overturned,” Walker-Martinez explained.
Those barriers can include poor credit, criminal history, prior evictions, or long periods of homelessness. Easterseals also partners with attorneys when legal advocacy is needed.
For John, that support was life-changing.
John, in the kitchen of his new apartment, made possible through housing assistance from Easterseals Oregon. He’s one of many in the area who would be employed but homeless without public and private housing assistance.
“At first I wasn’t sure, but I saw the building, and it was really nice,” John said. “I had no idea there were organizations that really want to help veterans.”
Public and Private Investment Is Needed to End Homelessness
Between its Portland and Salem offices, Easterseals housed 154 veterans last year. They also help furnish apartments with beds, furniture, and household goods so people aren’t starting over with an empty room.
So the next time you hear someone say, “Why don’t they just get a job?” please remind them that getting a job and securing stable housing are two very different challenges. It takes investment in housing, rental assistance, and supportive services to bridge that gap. If we want to end homelessness, we need more ways for people to access and keep housing before a temporary setback becomes a long-term crisis that affects not only the individual but also the health of our community.
