Portland State Invests $3 Million to Study Homelessness and Smart Cities

A new initiative at Portland State University will make homelessness a top priority for departments ranging from land-use planning to education and linguistics. The $3 million investment will create two multidisciplinary research hubs aimed at promoting smart solutions to problems in housing, technology, and transportation.

The Digital City Testbed Center will study how new technologies can be applied in transportation and urban planning to improve efficiency, sustainability, and public health in Portland and other cities. And the Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative will explore solutions and preventative measures for homelessness, and craft public messaging around the issue.

Both centers will operate as a three-year pilot with the goal of attracting outside investment and making an impact in their fields. If successful, the university may expand the initiative to create seven similar centers.

More than 4,000 Portland residents don't have a permanent home, according to Oregon Live.