It may be the first time in recent memory that affordable housing and homelessness will play a leading role in the 2016 election cycle.
On one side of this issue is a business community fed up with homelessness. On the other side is a community filled with anxiety and fear over housing instability. With rising rents, mass evictions around the region and thousands of people experiencing homelessness, there’s no question the people of Portland are looking for answers.
The conversation about housing affordability appears to be everywhere — on social media, in newspaper headlines, at neighborhood coffee shops and bars, and under bridges. The message is clear. Housing matters.
According to Axiometrics, a research company assisting investors, developers and property managers, “Portland claimed the No. 1 spot in August with rent growth of 15.4 percent.”
That’s sobering, to say the least. Especially considering that the vast majority of those units are not considered affordable by low-income and working class people.
Sadly, none of this is surprising. The problem isn’t new. Advocates have warned for years that a housing crisis would one day hit the Portland region — understanding that the lack of investments in affordable housing compared to the amount of people being displaced or homeless have never been close to scale.
As far back as 2006 Metro warned that, “the region and the state should direct efforts toward development of resources, and especially a new, permanent regional resource for affordable housing, and join and lead advocacy for increased funding at the federal, state, regional levels.”
In my tenure as a writer and advocate in Portland I’ve witness four mayors and countless commissioners, officials, advocates and policy wonks try to tackle the problem of homelessness and poverty. Never once have I seen the grassroots groundswell for support for something to be done about the issue like we see today. We’ve hit a tipping point.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. We’re surrounded by individuals and families who have found themselves priced out of the market and displaced and homeless after decades of gentrification, the disinvestment of affordable housing from the federal government and the latest recession and foreclosure crisis. That’s a long time for our local and state government not to scale up their investments and create regulations to protect affordable housing.
Of course, there have been small victories along the way. Elected officials are quick to point out that we have done some amazing things. It’s true. There have been plans to end homelessness and some targeted policies and resources allocated to alleviate poverty. We have helped thousands of people find housing.
Saying that, it all seems small in comparison considering the magnitude of the problem.
When we talk about investing in parks, education and transportation – housing stability and living wages has to be at the center of the conversation. Without requiring and investing in affordable housing — all of those services become null and void if a diverse community will one day not be able to live there.
This reality couldn’t be more apparent in the effort to increase affordable housing requirements from 30 to 50 percent in urban renewal areas. Some have argued that it’s not smart policy to increase affordable housing investments in East Portland. It would concentrate even more poverty.
The same argument was made 20 years ago in North and Northeast Portland. If we think East Portland today is any different than North and Northeast Portland two decades ago we are wrong. Money and development will come, and so will a growing market for expensive housing. Without an investment today, we will repeat the errors of our past — North and Northeast Portland neighborhoods are becoming increasing unaffordable. Investing in more affordable housing in all Urban Renewal Areas is smart policy and a policy elected officials should find a way to implement.
Last week, the Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT) declared a renter state of emergency. The organization and others are calling on local officials to identify, prioritize and implement immediate, temporary solutions to shocking rent increases and no-cause evictions.
Housing Commissioner Dan Saltzman responded by saying, “Our city is experiencing record low vacancy rates coupled with record high rents, creating the perfect storm of housing uncertainty for many Portland families. Portland renters need additional protections. In the upcoming weeks, I will be introducing new tenant protections that will increase the notification period for renters.”
It’s a step in the right direction, but more is needed, including support for people being evicted and more education. That means more resources.
Then there’s the demolition tax. A tax that the Welcome Home Coalition, along with Street Roots, brought to City Hall nearly a year ago. The proposed tax would not only go to support affordable housing, it would go to help preserve neighborhoods. It’s a win-win. It isn’t surprising to see the mayor roll out the proposal this week, considering the environment. It’s the right thing to do and should be supported.
We shouldn’t forget about the short-term rental market. Street Roots still believes City Hall should tax Airbnb and other short-term rentals companies to support a housing trust fund. It’s a logical compensation to the impact of short-term rentals in the marketplace, and should have been implemented long ago.
Here’s the thing. There is no one solution. It’s going to take an entire menu of investments and regulations to tackle the problem. We need bold leadership from local and statewide officials. Leadership that isn’t afraid to fail and certainly isn’t beholden to any one interest group.
From eviction prevention and education to demolition taxes to expanding the set aside for affordable housing in urban renewal areas to ending homelessness to finding a long-term source of revenue for affordable housing — people are demanding action. It’s about time. Let’s not take our foot off the gas. Everyone in our region deserves a safe place to call home.
