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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 2016)
Street Roots • Jan. 15-21, 2016 BYRD, from page 10 longer notice periods before rent increases. What we would really like is for there to be a moratorium of rent increases of more than 5 percent if a tenant has been living in the unit for more than a year. We want good-cause evictions - there needs to be a sensible reason given. Typically, with a good-cause eviction, if (a landlord) says, “I’m going to evict you because you keep letting the water overflow in your bathroom,” the tenant should be able to say, “Well, I’ve created this way to make sure I don’t do that,” (the landlord) has let (the tenant) correct it. (The tenant) would deserve one warning. That’s what we’re aiming for - the standard that tenants have the expectation that if they’re going to be told to just move, there is going to be a reason, and they then have the opportunity to address that reason and stay. We are supporting the coalition that is trying to get inclusionary zoning housing policies. And make it clear that inclusionary zoning can be for rental and ownership. We want to be able to have a mix of prices within multifamily developments. What we’re talking about inclusionary zoning in rental properties is what happened successfully in the Pearl. As (buildings) were being designed, 30 to 35 percent of the units were intended to be affordable. Some of the affordability was achieved by trading off incentives and giving things to the developers in the design process. There was a lot of money that was put into infrastructure and streets, for instance, At the design stage of new multifamily units, there would be able to be some standards or expectations to (make the units) affordable. The square footage might be slightly smaller, or the units wouldn’t have as nice a view or be as close to elevators. You’re engineering affordability. A.W.: There seems to be a frenetic level o f no-cause evictions right now. What is causing that? Have these sorts o f evictions not been an issue before? News / Poetry J.B.: It’s been an issue forever. For a long time, it’s been on our radar. It’s been getting increasingly problematic as vacancy rates have gone down. It’s gotten so bad with landlords seeing an opportunity in the market, make small cosmetic improvements and raise rent; the rate of eviction has gone up. Displacement in this market means that you’re homeless, in some communities. It’s shifting the energy around the lobbying. This isn’t a Portland problem. It’s statewide, and it’s huge. The other thing about no-cause evictions is that it sets up a dynamic where people are afraid to complain about needed repairs because they’re afraid of retaliatory evictions. They put up with stuff - interruptions in water, mold, bad heat, whatever. A.W.: It seems like it wouldn’t be such an issue i f the vacancy rate were higher and it was easier to fin d a home to move to. J.B.: The rate of home construction fell behind during the recession. What we’re starting to see as development picks up again is development for people with higher incomes. We had a shortage of units. It’s not improving because the current development is (geared toward those higher) incomes. Because of that pressure, there’s also this pressure on rents and the ability to really escalate rents. It’s eviction; not just units. A.W.: Over the long term, what do you think will solve the shortage o f affordable housing? Is it simply building more units and keeping up with demand? J.B.: It’s policy plus new units: Policy to make sure that we can put units where we need them to try to keep neighborhoods whole and balanced and inclusive. It’s going to take a lot of money. We need to talk not about $100 million, but we do need to talk about the investment from the state in the order of a billion dollars. But it’s also a reprioritization. We spend a lot of money on other things. We’ve put a ton of energy into access to health care and a lot of money to education and access to education. We need to recognize that housing is fundamental to the success of both of those. Page 11 Terse Coelho by Rachel D. Be self No fear Follow heart Hope and a New Day’s Dawn by Bill Burwell You may have passed me by On the way to the store You may have seen the light Or a flicker on the bridge Mighty strength of spirit is needed to cross On the other side is a new dawn Shattered dreams and feelings of defeat are no more I see ahead of me a mountain to climb Shame and sorrow are in th e past . You might think it will be all good And it will often be different You might think I am here to preach Instead I am here to learn All good teachers do not judge All good students listen I open my eyes to a new day’s dawn No more tunnel vision The light in me recaptured No more the face of deceit Or any reason to worry Is there any reason to change one’s ways I keep moving with new passion No longer in the dark with eyes covered A child dreams of growing up Later on they look back To see the doubt in one’s self And all the powers that be Growth happens day by day Often without notice The student willing to show up And surrender themselves to God n How do you share he fc PHC w Northwest 111 At Health Share, we believe good health is more than what happens inside your doctor's office. Good health starts in your community and includes staying active, eating healthy food and getting regular check-ups. Share your healthy habits with family and friends. We can all have better health when we share it together. r, Beyond Limitations™ f I f i r ’ ? " i S r a i d T ra in in ^ & Jobs I f o r P e o p le w ith D is a b ilitie s Better health together. www.healthshareoregon.org 1 W H I wW W W W W wisf i 1 i Wtwwi i B . 503-1 261-1266 ■
