Hi Nicholas, I have followed your marvelous journalism for years. Although I am not living in Oregon, I am in the same situation as Alice. A homeless senior, living in a relative's vehicle, on disability. Lost my home, belongings, and career due to illness from toxic mold infestation of my home. I am terrified I will die on a roadside or under a bridge. Have not been able to find safe, affordable housing. Been homeless for almost five years. I am so hoping you win governorship of Oregon! Sincerely, Evie Elmendorf Greene
Hi Nicholas , I am also 70 years old, a single artist who has struggled for many years to live from my work. It has been up and down and for 4 years, after 9/11 I lost both my living and work spaces and couch surfed, living with friends and family on both coasts. I know that falling off the edge happens to all kinds of people and in thi country now more easily. I really admire your stepping out and running for governor. The people of Oregon would be so fortunate to have you lead the state. I read you faithfully and wish both you and your wife and partner all the best. Good luck and thank you for all your work!! Rebecca Spivack
The YCDC [Yamhill County development corporation] created nearly thirty affordable homes in McMinnville with their owner/builder clients. that opened the door for my family and I to home ownership. Especially helpful to us was being able to make our home wheelchair accessible for our son.Homes were also built in Sheridan , Lafayette , and maybe other places.
GO NICK. What a great story. Am sharing it with our town officers here in rural CT. So glad to see the pix of you and Sheryl!!! Have been sending your columns, messages to friends in Oregon… They are EXCITED that you are there and running! GO NICK!
Hi Nicholas, I grew up in Dayton and probably played against Y/C in many sports. Followed you in the NY Times for years and know you will make a wonderful Governor for Oregon!
Thank you for posting this. Problems can be solved, hope can be restored. Wish I could vote for you, but I live and vote in California. But a lot of people are watching your campaign and the model it offers us.
Look at the Veterans Community Project that began in Kansas City and has now launched in Sioux Falls, St Louis, and Longmont CO. The want 4 more cities by the end of 2023. I toured one of their small houses and they are amazing
I don’t live in Oregon anymore but my family and roots are there ….a cousin went to the Yamhill schools and grew up on a farm on Mt. Richmond. We are ALL SO excited that you are running for governor! I surely sympathize with the homeless situation but want to be sure that you are equally concerned with the early education of children. I think I recall you addressing that in a column or two.
I would vote for you on the strength of the humanity of your numerous columns in the NYT, not to mention the courage you had to go to so many places few would dare to, to bring horrible plights of other people to world attention. But I can't not being a citizen of Oregon. I do hope that you will never devolve into being a "politician" and that in your candidacy you will maintain the persona of the reporter and the columnist you have been. That spirit is what is needed in the governorship.
Thank you nick kristof for continuing to share your thoughts as I was grieving the loss of reading your thoughts. We served our country with my husband working for the indian Health Service in the “poorest county in the nation.” Living in podunk, I read and contributed to tattered hard copies of NYtimes in the coffee shop that a small minority of us read over cover to cover, at times 1 month old, as we only had satelite internet, yet this intellectual stimulation kept-me sane, connecting to my deep RPCV values. It kept me centered on the intl bigger world in small small smalltown America. Thank you.
Good story, and I share your dismay at Oregon's homeless issue. I have not adjusted to the sight of hundreds of makeshift tents and shelters lining many of our streets and highways in and around Portland. Mountains of trash sit alongside temporary shelters in many areas, and I ask myself, "How long before we have a major outbreak of cholera or other life-threatening disease?". It appears to me that there must be many varying problem origins among the people caught in this web of homelessness. Drugs, alcohol, mental illness, poor physical health, loss of jobs and income are just a few of the recognized origins. It seems to me that affected people need a wide variety of assistance, intervention, and outright care.
These widely varying problems need to be identified and isolated into manageable groups or clusters, so appropriate assistance and care can be properly and efficiently applied on a case-by-case basis. Obviously, this is a huge problem, but it sure isn't going to shrink in the coming months. With every passing day, this problem grows, and we simply cannot turn out backs and hope it will go away. We need determined leadership to start finding real solutions, and to help the "homed" population find ways to contribute to those solutions.
I agree with Henry English, I am not a resident of Oregon, but I will do what I can. I have so enjoyed and learned from your writings. Just please do not become a "politician". We have too many of th"those" now and they do nothing. They get better medical and other health provisions than us--seniors-. They don't worry about paying for meds or having heat or food. So, keep it honest do your very BEST. You are so bright, knowledgeable...........and willing. Thank you !!!
You're right, but now tell us exactly how you are going to do this. No offense to you, but we've heard endless speeches about what's wrong with housing policy, yet people continue to live on streets. This isn't right, you said that. So how will you fix it?
This is what a campaign based on solving problems and helping constituents looks like. I'd almost forgotten that public service once was admirable.
It would be wonderful to have a governor who ,actually, cares about the homeless, the addicts, and the working people. Wishing you the best!
Hi Nicholas, I have followed your marvelous journalism for years. Although I am not living in Oregon, I am in the same situation as Alice. A homeless senior, living in a relative's vehicle, on disability. Lost my home, belongings, and career due to illness from toxic mold infestation of my home. I am terrified I will die on a roadside or under a bridge. Have not been able to find safe, affordable housing. Been homeless for almost five years. I am so hoping you win governorship of Oregon! Sincerely, Evie Elmendorf Greene
Hi Nicholas , I am also 70 years old, a single artist who has struggled for many years to live from my work. It has been up and down and for 4 years, after 9/11 I lost both my living and work spaces and couch surfed, living with friends and family on both coasts. I know that falling off the edge happens to all kinds of people and in thi country now more easily. I really admire your stepping out and running for governor. The people of Oregon would be so fortunate to have you lead the state. I read you faithfully and wish both you and your wife and partner all the best. Good luck and thank you for all your work!! Rebecca Spivack
The YCDC [Yamhill County development corporation] created nearly thirty affordable homes in McMinnville with their owner/builder clients. that opened the door for my family and I to home ownership. Especially helpful to us was being able to make our home wheelchair accessible for our son.Homes were also built in Sheridan , Lafayette , and maybe other places.
GO NICK. What a great story. Am sharing it with our town officers here in rural CT. So glad to see the pix of you and Sheryl!!! Have been sending your columns, messages to friends in Oregon… They are EXCITED that you are there and running! GO NICK!
Hi Nicholas, I grew up in Dayton and probably played against Y/C in many sports. Followed you in the NY Times for years and know you will make a wonderful Governor for Oregon!
Thank you for posting this. Problems can be solved, hope can be restored. Wish I could vote for you, but I live and vote in California. But a lot of people are watching your campaign and the model it offers us.
Look at the Veterans Community Project that began in Kansas City and has now launched in Sioux Falls, St Louis, and Longmont CO. The want 4 more cities by the end of 2023. I toured one of their small houses and they are amazing
I don’t live in Oregon anymore but my family and roots are there ….a cousin went to the Yamhill schools and grew up on a farm on Mt. Richmond. We are ALL SO excited that you are running for governor! I surely sympathize with the homeless situation but want to be sure that you are equally concerned with the early education of children. I think I recall you addressing that in a column or two.
I would vote for you on the strength of the humanity of your numerous columns in the NYT, not to mention the courage you had to go to so many places few would dare to, to bring horrible plights of other people to world attention. But I can't not being a citizen of Oregon. I do hope that you will never devolve into being a "politician" and that in your candidacy you will maintain the persona of the reporter and the columnist you have been. That spirit is what is needed in the governorship.
Thank you nick kristof for continuing to share your thoughts as I was grieving the loss of reading your thoughts. We served our country with my husband working for the indian Health Service in the “poorest county in the nation.” Living in podunk, I read and contributed to tattered hard copies of NYtimes in the coffee shop that a small minority of us read over cover to cover, at times 1 month old, as we only had satelite internet, yet this intellectual stimulation kept-me sane, connecting to my deep RPCV values. It kept me centered on the intl bigger world in small small smalltown America. Thank you.
Good story, and I share your dismay at Oregon's homeless issue. I have not adjusted to the sight of hundreds of makeshift tents and shelters lining many of our streets and highways in and around Portland. Mountains of trash sit alongside temporary shelters in many areas, and I ask myself, "How long before we have a major outbreak of cholera or other life-threatening disease?". It appears to me that there must be many varying problem origins among the people caught in this web of homelessness. Drugs, alcohol, mental illness, poor physical health, loss of jobs and income are just a few of the recognized origins. It seems to me that affected people need a wide variety of assistance, intervention, and outright care.
These widely varying problems need to be identified and isolated into manageable groups or clusters, so appropriate assistance and care can be properly and efficiently applied on a case-by-case basis. Obviously, this is a huge problem, but it sure isn't going to shrink in the coming months. With every passing day, this problem grows, and we simply cannot turn out backs and hope it will go away. We need determined leadership to start finding real solutions, and to help the "homed" population find ways to contribute to those solutions.
I agree with Henry English, I am not a resident of Oregon, but I will do what I can. I have so enjoyed and learned from your writings. Just please do not become a "politician". We have too many of th"those" now and they do nothing. They get better medical and other health provisions than us--seniors-. They don't worry about paying for meds or having heat or food. So, keep it honest do your very BEST. You are so bright, knowledgeable...........and willing. Thank you !!!
You are spot on. Oregon needs you. A governor who is really for the people. Keep up the good work.
You're right, but now tell us exactly how you are going to do this. No offense to you, but we've heard endless speeches about what's wrong with housing policy, yet people continue to live on streets. This isn't right, you said that. So how will you fix it?