Suburbs see big jump in food stamp use

State says Portland numbers hold steady in the face of teetering economy

By Peter Korn

The Portland Tribune, Jun 10, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (23 Reader comments)

Further evidence that gentrification in Portland has driven low-income residents out of town comes in the form of the latest food stamp recipient numbers, which show huge increases in Hillsboro, Gresham and Clackamas County, and only a slight increase in Portland.

Despite rising gas and food prices that have driven statewide food stamp use up 6.8 percent in the last year, Portland residents appear immune. State Department of Human Services statistics show that from April 2007 to April 2008, food stamp use in Multnomah County increased just 1.7 percent.

The use of food stamps in Hillsboro and Gresham during that same period increased 22 percent. Clackamas County registered a 17 percent increase.

Experts at a number of social service agencies said that changing demographics are probably the best explanation for the disparity.

“Are the poor people moving out of Portland? I think to an extent, yes,” said Patti Whitney-Wise, executive director of the nonprofit Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force. “It just makes sense. As (housing) costs go up you are going to get more and more folks pushed out to those outer areas. Because of the cost of living they're already on the edge, so as the economy goes down more of them are going to need assistance.”

Unemployment, cost of food

Michael Leachman, policy analyst for the nonprofit Oregon Center for Public Policy, said that food stamp usage is more directly related to unemployment than the cost of gas or food, and that might explain the difference between Portland and outlying areas.

“I think it's a combination of the demographic changes and the real strength of the Portland economy,” Leachman said.

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