News / Poetry
Page 12
Street Roots • October 20-26, 2017
MAX, from page 9
created as a result of construction of a
future Southwest Corridor light rail
project.”
Although there are strong calls for
TriMet to play a role in preserving
affordability in the Southwest Corridor, the
regional transit agency is not necessarily
on board.
TriMet did not respond to a request for
comment by press time, but TriMet’s
director of public affairs, Bernie Bottomly,
told the Portland Tribune that no funds
from the bond would be spent on housing.
“We fully understand the need for
affordable housing in the community;
however, TriMet is not legally allowed to
issue bonds for housing of any kind,
including low-income or affordable
housing,” Bottomly told the Tribune.
“While we move forward with our
jurisdictional partners on discussion of a
possible bond measure to fund projects
that will combat traffic congestion, we also
will work to help Mayor Wheeler and the
region identify affordable housing
opportunities near transit.”
The Welcome Home Coalition, the
affordable-housing advocacy coalition that
spearheaded the campaign to pass
Portland’s first bond for affordable housing,
is now rallying its supporters to pressure
TriMet to dedicate $250 million for
affordable housing.
Other communities nationwide have knit
affordable-housing preservation and
development to transportation projects.
Last year, voters in Oakland, Calif.,
Street King
by Maddy Brown-Clark
PHOTO BY A M A N D A W A LD R O U PE
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler speaks Oct. 14 a t M arkham Elementary School in Tigard
about how a proposed M A X line in the Southwest Portland would affect affordable housing.
passed a $600 million obligation bond to
pay for transportation projects with $100
million set aside for affordable-housing
purchases, construction and rehabilitation.
The city of Seattle set aside funds for
200 units of housing to be built near the
Northgate Transit Center, a light-rail
extension expected to open in 2021.
Minneapolis created a “NOAH Impact
Fund” to preserve the Twin Cities’ stock of
naturally occurring affordable housing by
spending $25 million, which leveraged
another $100 million to preserve 1,000
units of housing.
While there are high hopes for the
Southwest Corridor’s housing strategy, “it
does not guarantee that it is going to be
different,” Curren warned, especially if the
housing crisis and Portland’s white-hot real
estate market goes unabated.
But regardless, longtime Southwest
resident Omar is determined to stay.
“Our community is attached to the
Southwest area,” he said. “We’ll figure out
something. We’ll budget something. We’re
not here to leave.”
He lived on the streets
And he was my king
In a makeshift tent
That was his castle
In a garbage can kingdom
We all kept warm
When the cold rain fell
We huddled like children
Under the bridge
And dreamed of two-story homes
In the woods by the sea
While empty beach house palaces
Lined the sandy streets
It was a perfect way
To ride out a storm
But suddenly reality came back
And we were where we were
But who says dreams
Never come true?
So I hugged my king
Like a loyal queen
And said we could
Dream through this together
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