Compassion Center, headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, is a pioneer in integrative healthcare, dedicated to improving global quality of life through individualized treatment plans that blend allopathic, traditional, and alternative modalities. Through the Center for Incubation & Findings Research (CIFR), we address socio-economic challenges like housing instability, food security, and access to mental health and integrative healthcare, collaborating with global leaders to drive meaningful change worldwide.
HILLSBORO, OR / ACCESSWIRE / August 13, 2024 / Compassion Center and the Center for Incubation & Findings Research (CIFR) extend heartfelt thanks to Rebecca Siewert, an Oregon Licensed Real Estate Broker with N.W. Classic and Woodburn Property Management, Inc. for her invaluable insights into the challenges faced by underserved, categorically complex, and underrepresented communities in securing rental housing in Oregon.
In a recent meeting with Compassion Center's and CIFR's leadership, Mrs. Siewert provided CIFR a candid look at the barriers these communities encounter, emphasizing the urgent need for greater awareness and action to address these issues. Understanding these barriers and issues at their root is essential for society, researchers, and think tanks like CIFR alike, enabling us to creatively dissolve those obstacles and overcome challenges. Identifying barriers and discovering routes to overcome barriers are core aspects of our mission at CIFR. As an Oregon Public Benefit, Compassion Center and CIFR advocate almost exclusively for inclusive, accessible, and affordable options for all Oregonians, including food security, clean water, mental health and healthcare, as well as rental market solutions. It is our hope that this research initiative will lead to dissolving barriers and creating solutions that lower entry costs and/or reduce the cost of living and/or cooperate in combination with either one or more in lowering their collective carbon emissions. As a general rule, CIFR promotes the development of (an abundance of) affordable and sustainable housing options, and seeks to implement companion homelessness and addiction transition programs, so that no one has to sleep on the streets unless they choose to do so.
Landlord Concerns: Real Issues Facing Property Owners
Landlords across the state are grappling with genuine concerns that impact their properties' values, their bottom lines and their tenants' well-being. One primary issue is illicit drug use, which oddly enough includes "using and storing", not just growing, but all licensed medical marijuana and state-legal recreational marijuana. In any case, depending on the situation, it shows landlords feel that issues like these can lead to safety hazards and legal complications that can drastically impact the value, safety and security of their property. A lack of cleanliness can result in vermin infestations, too, and the burden of treatment and repair is left on the landlord when the tenant leaves. Additionally, a lack of true financial responsibility among some tenants often results in evictions, and since the market is narrowing its standards to disqualify those with evictions newer than five years, this mark on their record can unfortunately become someone's, or a family's first step into the realm of homelessness or sleeping in their automobile at a rest stop.
Prospective renters are also facing intrusive questions that delve into their basic household maintenance habits. Questions like "Do you own a broom or vacuum?" are commonplace. However, some property managers have taken it further by asking about lifestyles, mannerisms, personal behaviors, and musical instrument ownership, financial spending habits, bank statements and even questions about personal health information (PHI) and other medical conditions that many would normally consider off the table.
These concerns and intrusive questioning highlight the complexities of the rental market and the challenges faced by both landlords and tenants. Finding a balance between protecting property rights and respecting tenants' privacy remains a delicate task for all parties involved.
Renter Concerns: Real Issues Facing Tenants
On the flip side, renters must also navigate significant risks, such as encountering predatory property managers, scams, and application funnels that typically only collect fees without providing housing opportunities. Additionally, some landlords fail to maintain their properties properly, or fail to maintain them altogether, creating further challenges for tenants. CIFR recommends working with a licensed Real Estate Broker to rent properties.
In today's world, where large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are used to screen applicants and make final decisions, renters face new barriers, and new barriers arise everyday. These include, but are not limited to: inaccurate datasets that were improperly catalogued by a crawler, flawed AI-generated reports and/or a variety of other issues revolving around transactional security, continuity, accountability, and/or transparency. Such problems can result in incorrect employment histories, missing or inaccurate earnings statements, and incorrect addresses, leading to a 'poor rating' that deters landlords from renting to them. This raises a crucial question: Who can renters turn to for complaints? Additionally, many renters lack experience in landlord-tenant and legal matters, adding further complexity to an already challenging process.
These concerns underscore the difficulties renters face in finding a home and highlight the need for fair and transparent practices within the rental market. Balancing tenant rights and landlord responsibilities remains essential for creating a more equitable housing environment.
Center for Incubation & Findings Research (CIFR) aims to identify and address gaps in housing policy and improve affordable access to sustainable housing by advocating for stronger policies and administrative rules on a state and federal level. Our goal is to drive positive, measurable change that creates a more equitable marketplace, reducing unnecessary barriers and working towards the ultimate goal of ending homelessness. It's a human right.
"We are deeply grateful to Rebecca Siewert for taking her precious time to engage with us and share her expert perspectives on the critical housing challenges impacting vulnerable populations," said James Creel PgM, a registered Oregon lobbyist, researcher and career advocate for Compassion Center. "Her established and historically accurate insights, and practices, are proving invaluable as Compassion Center and CIFR works with the State of Oregon, and local government bodies, moving towards developing viable solutions that promote fair and equitable housing opportunities for all."
Addressing Housing Disparities
Compassion Center recognizes the importance of creating strong partnerships and fostering dialogue to tackle the systemic issues that contribute to housing disparities. The homelessness and/or houselessness crisis in Oregon, and the entire U.S. for that matter, has exploded as a result of a lack of coordinated housing services, and/or an alignment with accessible and affordable housing. By collaborating with government officials, leaders, local government bodies and industry veterans like Rebecca Siewert, and global experts from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), alike, CIFR aims to identify and implement actionable steps that can make meaningful differences in the lives of those most affected by the ongoing mental health and health issues caused by ongoing housing instability.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of raising public awareness about legitimate businesses and their roles in the community. Compassion Center reminds the public that: Woodburn Property Management, Inc. is a registered business located at 1290 Young St., Woodburn, OR, 97071 with N.W. Classic Realty, and is not just a search term for SEO purposes. Compassion Center encourages potential renters and community members alike to engage with licensed property managers who demonstrate integrity and a commitment to fair housing practices. These property managers are required to maintain professional licenses, trust accounts and must maintain a variety of other standards and measures that can be audited, verified for transparency and overseen for accountability by the State. If renters go with someone unlicensed, they carry a significant risk.
About Compassion Center and the Center for Incubation & Findings Research (CIFR)
Compassion Center, headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, is a pioneering force in integrative healthcare, dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals worldwide. By offering individualized treatment plans that seamlessly combine allopathic, traditional, and alternative modalities, the Compassion Center addresses the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our patients. Our mission is to innovate care approaches that foster better health outcomes and advocate for the betterment of tomorrow for all those we serve.
Through its socioeconomic research institute, the Center for Incubation & Findings Research (CIFR), Compassion Center is committed to identifying, creating, and promoting socio-economic programs that address critical issues such as housing instability, food security, access to clean water, integrative healthcare, mental health, and education. By tackling these and other social determinants of health, we aim to enhance the overall well-being of the communities we serve.
CIFR actively engages with communities and collaborates with global and "glocal" thought leaders to develop viable solutions that empower individuals and families to improve their quality of life and overall biophysical wellness. Together with Compassion Center International and other global initiatives, we partner with leaders, NGO organizations, and experts, including but not limited to those from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), to drive meaningful change worldwide. We believe that compassion starts within, and through our integrated efforts, we strive to make a positive impact on a global scale.
For more information about Compassion Center and our initiatives, please contact:
Sophaur One, RYT-200 Director of Communications
Compassion Center
1-844-842-COMPASSION
Sophaur.One@Compassion-Center.org
About N.W. Classic and Woodburn Property Management
N.W. Classic and Woodburn Property Management, Inc. are committed to providing high quality property management services with a focus on building strong relations with the local communities served. By fostering strong relationships with both landlords and tenants, WPM aims to create positive housing experiences for all parties involved.
For further details about their services, please contact:
Rebecca Siewert | Realtor
N.W. Classic and Woodburn Property Management
Office: 503-982-8301 | Fax: 503-982-4475
Rebeccas@nwclassic.com
Contact Information
Sophaur One
Director of Communications
sophaur.one@compassion-center.org
844-842-2667 Ext 1
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SOURCE: Compassion Center
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