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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (June 23, 2017)
Street Roots • June 23-29, 2017 Page 3 O p in io n With Salem ignoring us on housing, there is much work to do on local level Then, they propose cutting millions of n the same day Multnomah County dollars for rent assistance. The political announced a 10-percent increase in people experiencing homelessness, optics of legislators in Salem right now is Oregon announced cuts to emergency rent so far off center that it’s hard to have a real assistance. conversation. If that didn’t add enough insult to injury, All of this, of course, comes without the state also proposed a 6-percent cut to even factoring in devastating proposed other general-fund expenditures from the federal cuts to housing programs across current service levels that include funding the board. for a low-income If local and state officials think street rental fund, elderly homelessness and gentrification are bad rental assistance and a i n c w r s today or that the private sector and public other support are fatigued now, all communities are in for lì services. a rude awakening when all of these cuts That’s a loss of tens begin to take place. By Israel Bayer of millions of dollars The reality is we are still experiencing to our most and will continue to experience a housing vulnerable Oregon crisis. That’s not being an alarmist; that’s residents. being real. The lack of urgency by our state is both It’s only my humble opinion, but I think uninspiring and unbelievable. To be honest, any elected official in Oregon who doesn’t it’s a slap in the face. continue to show urgency and treat the Unfortunately, it’s not a surprise. housing crisis like an actual emergency and For whatever reason, Oregon Democrats fight like hell for more ongoing revenue for and Republicans have never really housing is on borrowed prioritized housing in a time. They should be. way that’s resulted in Not one elected any substance. It’s one official should remain of the many reasons Not one elected o ffic ia l in office in the metro Oregonians are facing a slt©wl< »©mailt la ©file© area without actively housing crisis from la lit® m etro area w itliO Bt engaging in solutions to Bend to Lincoln City, a c tiv e ly e a f a f Is tf 1» the housing crisis, from Ashland to s@latl®as to Use housing period. Talk is cheap. Portland. crisis? period- Tails is Actions are real. It’s more than frustrating. In this We still don’t have an cheap*» Metlsms are real- session alone, answer for tenant legislators have gutted rights long term or a proposals to reform plan for ongoing landlord/tenant laws revenue for homeless and kept intact a billion- services or a real plan dollar kickback to Oregon homeowners to stop gentrification. All the equity plans through the Mortgage Interest Deduction in the world aren’t going to stop people of program. Make no mistake - Oregon is in color from being pushed out of the city and fact subsidizing housing. Unfortunately, it’s region unless you actually invest in equity for the rich, who can afford second and and housing. third homes around the state. The signal coming out of Salem and What’s even more infuriating for housing Washington, D .C ., is clear. You’re on your advocates is watching how Portland own, Portland, Ashland, Bend, Astoria, etc. Tenants United has been vilified on one That means locally, we’ve got work to do - hand, and mainstream advocates have been a lot of it. We must rise above the rhetoric ignored on the other. and the lack of support and work for what’s How does a group of people showing up best for our city and region. If you aren’t to a senator’s church to protest his stance thinking big, get out of the way. on housing result in other legislators The housing crisis will not be solved by throwing a public tantrum and saying thats the reason they won’t support real tenant taking shortcuts or managing homelessness or the politics of any given reforms. The message sent to advocates and situation. If Portland voters' passing of a concerned residents from Salem is: Come housing bond and election of Chloe Eudaly hard at us, be discredited. Come soft at us in November wasn’t a signal to the and play our political games, get ignored. establishment that unless you offer up real Ultimately, you don’t really fit into our solutions, the people are going to speak, larger plans. then I don’t know what is. How can the people not feel ignored Get mad, get organized, let your voice be when Oregon’s funding and track record on heard. Write your elected officials today, housing is already woefully underfunded? and take action. It’s hands up for housing! O »» B Israel Bayer is the executive director o f Street Roots. You can reach him at israel@streetroots. org or follow him on Twitter @israelbayer. Street Roots . , -I Portland, OR 97209 503-228-5657 / ' Fax:503-227-3117 ; - ' ' - : www.streetroots.org www.news.streetroots.org Hours; 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mom-Fit, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. S at and 7:30-1 p.m. Sun. interested in advertising in Street Roots? Contact Israel Bayer at israel@streetroots.org Staff Executive D irecto r Israel Bayer israei@streetroots.org Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl joanne@streetroots.org V e n d o r P ro g ra m D ir e c to r C ole M e rkel coie@ streetroots.org Operations D ire c to r Sarah Beecroft Developm ent D ire cto r Sarah Cloud Program Assistant Meghann Van Pelt, Jesuit Volunteer Developm ent Assistant Patricia Romero Editorial Assistant Monica Kwasnik Reporters Emily Green, Suzanne Zalokar, Sarah Hansell, Leonora Ko, Jared Paben, Amanda Waldroupe, Stephen Quirke Photographers Diego Diaz, Joe Glode, Arkady Brown Canvasser Desmond Hardison Board of Directors Chairman Brad Taylor Vice-Chairman Rachel Langford Treasurer Heather Stadick Secretary Dan Jones Directors Rich Rodgers, Michael Anderson, Sandra Hahn, John Brown, Mels Johnson and Alison Hallett Volunteers Jan Bayer, John Barker, Stacey Heath, Anjali Rathore, Zoe Klingmann, Dan Jones, Dennis Hogan, Monica McKune, Susan Wolfe, Lucas Hawthorne, Thomas Buell Jr., Jeanie Lunsford, Yasmin Amirsoleymani, Jason Cohen, Tom Ray, Doug Spangle, Susannah Kamala, Jon Raymond, Diana Richardson, Cherie Manning, Paul and Madeline Gefroh, Mary Anne Joyce, Del Shawn Davidson, Gillian Floren, Mark OIDani, Bridget Brown, Cody Travels, Bianca Butler, Robb Hengerer, Alex Cherin, Jenny Farres, Evan Firsick, Camber Hansen-Karr, Miranda Woods, Henry Brannan, Megan Smith, Luke Scheuermann, Annie Aube and Helen Hill. If you're interested in volunteering with Street Roots, please submit a volunteer application at streetroots.org/volunteer. Or you can call for more information at 503-228-5657.
