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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 2018)
Street Roots • Feb. 16-22, 2018 News Page 7 Water for all Portland, Water Bureau hopes to expand its low-income rate assistance Programs and tap a Previously unreachable body of at-risk renters - BY JOANNE ZUHL E X E C U T IV E E D IT O R n 1995, Portland’s water bureau became one of the first in the nation to offer a low-income discount program to residents. It began with the goal of reaching 10,000 customers. consumption of water and sewer services in It has never met that goal, in part a Portland apartment. The bureau hopes to because of the challenge associated with reach 1,200 at-risk households with the new reaching some of the city’s lowest-income multi-family rental program. renters. The goals, according to Liam Frost, The problem for Portland and cities special projects manager with the water across the country is finding a way to bureau, included reaching people who support people in need who pay for the needed and qualified for the safety net and utility through rent, but who don’t get billed prevent those basic services from being and do not have their own account with the shut-off. bureau: People in multi-family buildings. “It’s not going to be a surprise to you that This week, the Portland Water Bureau affordability of housing is one of the main presented its plan before a City Council issues facing the city, not unlike many other work session, highlighting a new program to cities in the United States,” Frost told the provide up to $500 in utility crisis assistance council members. “As housing costs have per year to qualified households on the caused this affordability issue in Portland, it verge of eviction. leaves less on the table for lower income City Commissioner Nick Fish, who heads households to cover basic and essential up the water bureau, called the proposal services like water and sewer.” “something of a breakthrough. Frost said that the cost of this program, “We are in the midst of a historic housing along with proposed expansions in the crisis. The solution has long eluded our assistance programs the bureau currently public utilities,” Fish said. offers, will be covered through utility rates, The new crisis assistance for multi-family which are expected to increase to cover the renters would be administered through $2.14 million in new costs incurred by the water bureau and the city’s Bureau of Home Forward, the region’s housing Environmental Services. authority, which already works directly with Many aspects of the plan, along with low-income renters and their landlords. The setting rates, are still to be worked out in money would be paid to landlords in the upcoming budget work sessions. Once form of rent through the existing short-term finalized, the new plan won’t go into affect rental assistance program, which helps until July, after the city budget is approved. households weather catastrophic economic Currently, 6,600 low-income customers periods and retain their housing. making 60 percent or less of the median The $500 figure was determined to cover family income receive 50 percent discounts 80 percent of the cost of the average annual I and at the discretion of the council.” Having running water isn’t just an issue of comfort and sanitation, it’s state code: Oregon requires homes to have water service to be considered habitable. c risis v o u ch ers, Commissioner Dan currently set at the "Ms hoaglng costs h a w caused Saltzman said he 2004 rate of $150, and would like to see an title a llo rd a b illty issue la adjusting income additional policy Portlands It leaves less on the qualification guidelines added to the bureau’s to be more in line with table lo r lower Income plan: That if children the city of Portland, households to cover basic and live in a home where rather than the lower essential services like water the water has been statewide figure, disconnected for and sewer/? established in the - L IA M FRO ST, nonpayment for more PO RTLAND W ATER BUREAU 1990s. than a month, that “In that time, the family is reported Portland’s income to state child profile has obviously protective services. diverged from places like Josephine County,” Saltzman, who has long been a champion for-’ Frost said. “There’s a $10,000 a year children’s issues, called those shut-off difference there.” conditions tantamount to child abuse. Fish was quick to point out that the new Fish responded saying there could be program with Home Forward has been reviewed by attorneys who believe it to be in legal ramifications to such a policy, but that they will work with Saltzman’s office to line with the bureau’s charter and the legal explore their options. Fish said that kind of parameters for ratepayer expenditures. In interagency reporting raises questions December, the city settled a 2011 lawsuit around privacy and immigration rights, as alleging it missused ratepayer monies on an well as concerns about criminalizing parents assortment of expenditures. The city settled for living in episodic poverty. for $10 million. The council will be discussing the “This builds on an existing program,” proposal further during budget work Fish said. “They have given us a legal sessions in March. opinion that it is consistent with the charter to their bill. Ultimately, the goal is to prevent costly and traumatic service shut offs to those households. Other proposals to help low-income customers include increasing the value of
