Portland’s District 4 council candidates describe the most crucial issue facing their district

Street Roots asked candidates:

1. The city has faced criticism for its reliance on homeless encampment sweeps (removals, as the city officially refers to them), which cost the city tens of millions each year, don’t reduce homelessness and are shown to result in higher homeless mortality rates. To what degree do you support this tactic, and do you believe the city should instead spend that money on other homelessness responses?
2. Some Portlanders and recent reporting question the city’s affordable housing programs, which primarily produce housing targeting earners making 60%-80% Average Median Income — $53,940 to $71,900 for a one-person household. Data shows housing is most scarce for those making less than 51% AMI, and the current structure ensures the vast majority of affordable housing residents pay rent that is technically unaffordable. To what degree do you support this approach, and do you believe the city should redirect its affordable housing efforts?
3. What is the most crucial issue facing your district left unaddressed by elected officials, and how will you address it?

District 4 primarily includes Downtown, Northwest and Southwest Portland with portions in Southeast. Mitch Green, Olivia Clark and Eric Zimmerman currently represent District 4, and each is running for reelection. 

District 4 includes the following neighborhoods: Ardenwald-Johnson Creek, Arlington Heights, Arnold Creek, Ashcreek-Crestwood, Bridlemile, Brooklyn, Collins View, Eastmoreland, Far Southwest, Forest Park, Goose Hollow, Hayhurst, Healy Heights, Hillsdale, Hillside, Homestead, Linnton, Maplewood, Markham, Marshall Park, Multnomah, Northwest District, Northwest Heights, Old Town, Pearl District, Portland Downtown, Reed, Sellwood-Moreland, South Burlingame, South Portland, Southwest Hills, Sylvan-Highlands, West Portland Park, Woodstock

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1. I do not support this tactic, unless there are immediate safety
   hazards, but even in that case, there needs (to) be a safe and reliable place for folks to go and get continued access to care and resources. We need to focus on continuity of care. When these sweeps happen, more than 25% of those affected lose contact with the case or social worker, or service, that was assisting them. I would require City-funded removals to include transportation, protection of essential belongings and medications, and a plan to maintain contact with service providers. Our budgets should account for what happens after a sweep, making sure the continuity of care remains unbroken. Repeatedly breaking those connections is an expensive failure.
   
2. We should redirect our affordable housing efforts to support housing for a range of
   incomes, with more subsidies and grants going to households below 50% of area median income, especially those below 30%.
   
   My understanding is that the Portland metro area has only 35 affordable and available rentals for every 100 renter households at or below 50% AMI. That is a crisis, and a rent ceiling based on 60% or 80% AMI can still be far beyond what many folks could possibly pay.
   
   I would prioritize those lower % levels, and work with the County and Home Forward to ensure that the goal is housing costs that tenants can afford on their actual incomes, which should lead to more stability. Also, it is important that projects like this that serve people who need ongoing support have funding for those services included.
   
3. Affordability across the entire district and at every income level. Whether you’re trying to get off the streets and into housing, you and your family are struggling to make ends meet, or you’re trying to keep a small business open, we need to find ways for folks, no matter who, to build a stable life. We need to contain costs, perhaps by tying increases in city-controlled fees to growth in Portland’s median household income, as I suggest in my Portland Affordability Rule. And why don’t we have automatic enrollment in utility discounts for ALL eligible residents? We need to use the city’s resources to lower essential expenses and improve people’s ability to earn a living.

1. I don’t support homeless encampment sweeps because they are cruel and ineffective. Shuffling people from one block to another doesn’t solve homelessness, and it’s expensive to pretend like it does. That money can be spent better.
   
   Specifically, the city needs to address the gaps between street outreach, treatment, transitional housing, and permanent housing, which too many people get caught between. According to 2024 Medicaid claims data, about 51% of homeless people in Multnomah County are actively experiencing psychosis, stimulant use disorder, or opioid use disorder. These folks are not helped by street sweeps, but they’re also not helped by a one-size-fits-all housing first model. I want to invest in supportive housing programs that pair shelter with behavioral health and addiction treatment, establishing a clear continuum of care and pathway to permanent housing. Central City Concern’s Community Engagement Program provides a model of this type we can replicate, which has reported 91% housing retention after 12 months.
   
   I also support expanding Portland Street Response and improving street outreach so trained responders can connect more people with care. We also need to prevent people from being discharged from hospitals or treatment facilities directly back onto the street.
   
2. We need affordable housing for people at every income level. I don’t think the answer is to stop producing housing for people in that range, but we also can’t ignore Portlanders with much lower incomes who are being priced out entirely. The definition of affordability needs to be reassessed. If people qualify for affordable housing but still can’t afford the rent, then the system isn’t working as intended.
   
   The city also needs to increase affordable housing supply. One way to do this is by speeding up the permitting process for affordable housing. Instead of directly subsidizing developers, I support offering pre-approved building designs so straightforward housing projects can move through permitting faster and can be built without unnecessary delay. At the same time, the city needs to invest directly in permanently affordable social housing. I support both building new social housing and acquiring existing buildings when opportunities come up, which can sometimes be a faster way to create long-term affordability.
   
3. The environment does not get enough attention on City Council, especially the health of the Willamette River. Every summer, the Ross Island Lagoon develops toxic algae blooms that can make the river unsafe for swimming and dangerous for wildlife and pets. These conditions are preventable. I propose establishing the Ross Island Ecological Park by placing the islands into public stewardship under Portland Parks & Recreation with a unified management plan that includes Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. This would give the city the ability to address these algae blooms, restore the habitat, and protect safe public river access. This effort could also become part of a broader public land strategy that reinvests in underutilized land and expands access to parks, riverfronts, and ecological spaces for Portland residents.

1. I do not support the current sweeps policy. While the City is required to do some minimal level of public right-of-way clearance per the Tozer et al legal settlement, our current approach extends well beyond that requirement. It is cruel, ineffective and makes it more difficult for folks living unhoused to get connected to services. In the Fall 2025 budget adjustment Councilor Morillo and I authored a budget amendment to reduce the sweeps budget in order to provide more funding for rent assistance. That amendment failed, but in the FY26-27 budget I was successful in passing a budget amendment that reduced the sweeps budget by $1 million in order to provide funding for workforce development and hygiene services. City Council should adopt budgets that minimize the sweeps budgets and focus instead on funding self-governed micro villages, hygiene programs, rent assistance, and no-barrier jobs programs.
   
2. Tying rents to a measure of area median incomes results in a situation where the rents
   can rise faster than the incomes of a large share of tenants. We should instead move toward social housing based upon a cost rent. Cost rent is simply a rent that is charged based upon what it costs to maintain the apartment building. We can choose to further subsidize rent for those at the lower end of the income distribution. Policy should be designed to preserve and acquire housing at a low cost and lock that cost basis in place permanently through municipal ownership or covenant, so that tenants can experience housing that is level in terms of inflation and have a shot at incomes that grow faster than rent. I’m proud to have championed the social housing approach on City Council and appropriated $17.5 million in housing funds to acquire housing to convert to social housing.
   
3. We are at risk of losing our affordable housing stock to the market as affordability
   covenants expire, providers face financial pressure to divest, and ongoing vacancies persist. Given that there is already an imbalance between units available for rent, and those wanting access at a price they can afford, the most pressing issue is for City Council to find a way to secure the funding and policy framework to secure this resource for the long-term and brings rents into alignment with what those in need can afford. Paired with a lack of employment opportunities to those barred from more traditional labor markets, we have a fundamental gap in connecting people with the basic necessities for living with dignity. I will continue to champion the need to reduce our sweeps budgets in favor of rent assistance, employment programs and hygiene station investments.

1. Sweeps are not an ideal practice. I understand well that they are very disruptive to the lives of houseless people. At the same time, our local economy is in deep trouble. We need to attract people back to downtown and have visitors feel safe in order for our economy to thrive and have the funds in our budget to provide services for all. This is a hard tension to hold. I am skilled at holding this tension because I had a seriously mentally ill brother who required a lot of support during his 51-year lifetime. I believe the city should spend money on rental assistance for those about to be evicted allowing them to stay in their home. I am in favor of 24/7 Street Response with more training and regular reports on Street Response effectiveness. I am also in favor of more training for Portland Police to better respond to mental health emergencies.
   
2. I understand that housing that supports those making less than 51% AMI are the hardest to maintain and support. These facilities require expensive wrap around services that many nonprofit providers are lagging in their ability to provide. The City needs to understand why the nonprofits are not able to meet these services. I would like to better understand how we can get the existing nonprofit providers to better meet the needs of the folks in the most reduced circumstances. I support trying to shift houselessness services back to Multnomah County and redirecting City funds to rental assistance for those about to be evicted.
   
3. Emergency preparedness. District 4 is very vulnerable to fire and earthquake. I want the City to develop an emergency preparedness plan starting with D4 due to the forested cover and CEI Hub.

1. We are spending way too much money on sweeps. I have personally witnessed the cycle play out in numerous neighborhoods throughout the city and feel that it has become nothing more than a profit making venture for a handful of contractors. I propose redirecting current resources to recovery-themed efforts, making Portland Street Response a 24/7 operation and deploying more health care professionals into the field. Early intervention is critical as well. Having care coordinators arrive before a camp gets out of control and takes over public spaces is so important. We can accomplish these goals by having state and local government agencies collaborate with their information and communication.
   
2. I support Councilor Green’s Keep Portland Housed package, which provides significant funding for rental and down payment assistance, debt buy-downs, tenant rights and landlord education. We must also move quickly to acquire market rate housing to protect the city’s inventory and boost a community housing fund. Capping application fees, creating a path for tenants to become owners and stopping large rent hikes are key objectives. The city has a trust problem due to mismanagement by previous housing agency executives. In order to correct course, we must have an open and transparent discussion by all community stakeholders to put together a unified plan of action.
   
3. Standing up to TriMet. It’s way past time to push back on the failed leadership at TriMet. The agency is slashing union jobs and cutting bus and train routes while ballooning capital projects and hiring more managers. Reliable, clean and safe public transit is what makes cities affordable and Portland is moving backwards in this category. We must engage with the TriMet board of directors, lobby elected officials and demand labor leaders fight for jobs and service! Currently, service accounts for less than 50 percent of the budget. ATU 757 needs to insist on a strike clause in its next contract with TriMet, otherwise it’s just another layer in a bloated bureaucracy.

1. I do not support what the City is currently doing to respond to homelessness. One of the first things I would do in Council is divert the $40 million we are currently spending in homelessness services and put at least $15 million ongoing of that toward rent assistance and other programs to keep people housed. We are currently spending 2-4x more to respond to homelessness than it would cost us to prevent it to begin with. And sheltering is the role of the County which they could do far more effectively if we did our part to turn down the flow of thousands of newly homeless every month.
   
   We can then also divert some of that toward a revolving loan fund that gives us the opportunity to advance a publicly-owned mixed-income housing strategy that includes land banking, purchasing existing units off the market, and helping affordable housing organizations start transitioning to a cost-based rent housing model.
   
   And while sweeps don’t help people, sanitation does. Instead of sweeps, we should create a citywide sanitation and hygiene program that employs people who experience homelessness and make sure everyone in the City, regardless of housing status, has access to fresh water, laundry, bathrooms, and trash pick up.
   
   2. Currently, affordable housing uses a federal formula set by the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development to determine area median income and rent rates. But
   that formula doesn’t work in our current economy so affordable housing rent rates are too high for the average renter to afford.
   
   On my website, you will find the Portland Community Housing Plan which is my proposal to move us toward a publicly-owned, mixed-income housing strategy. We need housing to be abundant, affordable, and attainable and we can only truly do that if the City takes an ownership role. We can and should incentivize the development of more private market housing, but we also need to create a revolving loan fund so we can purchase buildable land, buy existing units from the market, and provide capital to affordable housing providers to help drive down costs and stabilize rents.
   
   3. In addition to housing stability, the most crucial issue not being addressed by council is affordability. We need to drive costs of living down and increase wages. To
   builda resilient local economy, we must embrace the Portland brand. We can turn vacant storefronts in Old Town into “incubator” spaces for small businesses, bringing positive energy to the area. And we can provide tax breaks for employers that raise wages, making Portland more affordable for businesses and workers alike.
   
   Simultaneously, we need to stop increases of taxes and fees on everyone except very high-income earners. We have major corporations extracting wealth from our communities without contributing to our revenue all while driving up the cost of living. I would support any efforts to bring that money back into the pockets of Portlanders.

1. Speaking from experience as someone who was homeless, sleeping on the waterfront, one of the biggest barriers facing people experiencing homelessness is navigating the logistics of getting back on their feet, and failing to coordinate them can leave people trapped in a cycle of homelessness.
   
   I do not support relying on encampment sweeps as a primary homelessness response. Sweeps may sometimes be necessary to address immediate safety concerns, but they must be accompanied by appropriate shelter, services, and a realistic path forward.
   
   Portland should invest more heavily in coordinated services, measurable outcomes, and identifying where the process breaks down. We need to ask difficult questions about which programs work, where resources are being wasted, and whether people are actually receiving the help they need. As a city, we need to stop treating homelessness as something to manage for appearances and start treating it as a problem with identifiable factors, logistical challenges, and concrete goals. The question we must be willing to ask ourselves is this: do we want to help or are we settling for doing enough to look like we are?
   
2. To what degree do I support an affordable housing system in which rent remains
   unaffordable for the people it is supposed to help? We need to take a hard look at our priorities.
   
   Portland is losing jobs, families are struggling with the cost of living, and our city faces years of budget stabilization. We cannot keep measuring success by units produced without asking who can actually afford to live in them. I support redirecting affordable housing efforts toward people facing the greatest barriers, particularly those earning less than 51% of AMI. That means examining funding, reducing unnecessary costs, and ensuring every public dollar delivers measurable value.
   
   I have consistently called for a comprehensive, public audit of city finances. Before committing more money to existing approaches, we need to understand our expenses, evaluate program outcomes, and determine how to get more from the resources we already have. Portland cannot afford to separate housing policy from economic reality. We need housing people can actually afford and a city budget capable of sustaining it. Producing housing that remains out of reach for those who need it most is not success.
   
   It is a failure to meet the needs of our residents.
   
3. The most crucial issue is that people are losing faith in a system that has promised fixes, delivered political slogans, and too often prioritized power over results. Unfortunately, for District 4 and Portland as a whole, the bill is coming due.
   
   You rebuild trust by showing up, not just for people who share your party affiliation or support your campaign, but for everyone in the district, including those who disagree with you. Representation means listening beyond your usual circle.
   
   It also means doing the work, not showing up for pictures, making a comment, and leaving. It means staying, listening, and understanding what people are facing.
   
   During the campaign, Portland Public Schools held its first public meeting after the planned closings were public on the same day as a District 4 forum. Families were trying to understand what the future of their children’s schools would look like. That raises a fair question: Where were our candidates, and which conversations deserved their attention? I will continue showing up, listening, and doing the work, even when it is difficult, unglamorous, or earns no recognition.

1. I hate sweeps. As an IICRC Trauma and Crime Scene Cleaning Technician, cleaning up occupied spaces goes against training standards.
   
   They cost millions paid to third party contractors and don’t reduce homelessness. They destroy IDs and medications. And then, we wonder why the same person is back sicker?
   
   Sweeps remind me of what we did to our Japanese American neighbors. We rounded people up and shoved them into camps. These people on our streets are brothers, sisters, daughters, or parents of someone and they deserve to be treated with dignity. Central City Concern’s recent report said 51% of people on our streets have one of four ailments requiring medicine, and only 20% have a prescription. We have a medical emergency outside. Leaving sick people out in the cold to fend for themselves when they all qualify for healthcare is torture.
   
   We need to engage medical professionals to meet people where they are to help them get into programs that address their individual ailments. If people are found unable to problem-solve for themselves, or are super vulnerable, we need to act as if they were family members, not like criminals or prisoners.
   
2. I am a 20-year housing finance veteran. I founded Plum Tree Mortgage and purchased Portland Mortgage — a company that once denied my mother and step-dad a mortgage for their lack of income. I know personally what that denial does to a family, and I know how the system works from the inside. We are building mostly for 60-80% AMI — $53,940 to $71,900 for a one-person household — while data shows housing is most scarce for those making less than 51% AMI. We ensure most residents still pay rent that is technically unaffordable. The city needs to stop overpaying third-party developers and use the savings from economy of scale for more and better maintenance choices and building materials. Stop enriching developers and start making more units.
   
   State law and its lack of transparency also make it impossible for any data to be accurately reviewed and studied. As someone who has underwritten these deals, I understand what needs to be done. We need to look at available federal programs and sit down with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA and alternative organizations and banks to negotiate favorable and lower-than-normal fees, rates and costs at scale.
   
3. The medical, drug and homeless crisis on our streets. Our 9-to-5 approach will not find and address people where they are and it continues to create expensive, ineffective and confusing systems. Politicians get good soundbites but the very people navigating the system get lost, forgotten and ignored. This crucial issue is destroying so many lives that would otherwise be living fruitfully and enriching our community.
   
   District 4 is all of Portland west of the Willamette plus Sellwood-Moreland, Eastmoreland and Reed — Downtown, the Pearl, Old Town, NW 23rd, Hillsdale, Multnomah Village. We have almost half of the city’s break-ins in District 4, and I’ve heard it’s the same amount as the whole city of Boston. That is our health crisis spilling over into every other part of life in our city.
   
   Getting help can’t feel like you’re lucky for getting through the system — it needs to be the standard. We have insurance and medical care for a reason. We have already paid for it. Let’s use it. We need to address this today.