Mayor Charlie Hales, fresh from announcing he will not seek reelection in 2016, says that housing and homelessness are “job one,” demanding “real time, real effort and real money.”
In a call from Hales around 2:30 today, the mayor told Street Roots that a big part of his motivation was the work underway on homeless and housing issues.
“We’ve got some good things starting. We’ve got $66.7 million on the table this week to allocate for affordable housing. We’ve got efforts underway at both the county and city to expand shelter capacity and outreach to people on the streets. We’ve got all kinds of partners to count on that we we can help if we're not distracted by a political campaign."
Today, Hales has emphasized that he was withdrawing from the race to focus on the issues important to him, rather than being drawn away by campaigning. His withdrawal leaves Oregon Secretary of Treasury Ted Wheeler as the frontrunner.
In recent weeks, the city has declared a housing emergency, announced plans to generate housing revenue through a demolition tax and a short-term rental tax, and pushed for an increase in urban renewal funding toward affordable housing, resulting in the $66.7 million allocation. The city has also voted to extend move-out periods for renters facing no-cause evictions, and intends to site new homeless shelter services as part of the housing emergency.
Hales said that before he leaves office, he also wants the city to develop a better relationship with the Portland Police Bureau, create more foot patrols and hire more officers of color, and provide officers better tools to handle mental health crises through deescelation.
Hales also said he would not be surprised to see a ballot initiative in November focusing on affordable housing — and would campaign for one. “That will be another opportunity for me, instead of campaigning for myself, to campaign for the issues that I care about. It will be a pleasure to campaign for the public good.”
Hales, who has spent 14 years in public office in Portland, said he does not intend to seek public office again.
With just over 14 months left in his term, Hales noted there will be many opportunities to push policy around housing, locally and with two legislative sessions. “We will be accellerating, not coasting."
City Commissioner Nick Fish said Hales told him of his decision shortly before going public.
“While the first decision is uniquely his to make,” Fish said, “having a fulltime, fully engaged mayor addressing the housing issues of our day is a very good things for low income families who are desperate for a life line.”
