30% Set Aside Grows on City Council & PDC Commission 9/18/2006 The 30% set aside policy is gaining momentum both on City Council and the PDC Commission. Despite that the City Council hearing on the set aside being delayed until October 18, there is growing support for a 30% set aside of urban renewal funds to meet the housing needs of families earning low wages and seniors, people with disabilities and others on fixed incomes. Though encouraged by the momentum, Affordable Housing NOW! remains focused on crucial details such as ensuring accountability to the set aside policy and specific criteria that will mandate housing resources are used to house the lowest income Portlanders remain undecided. During a Council hearing last week approving the Tram financing package in the Southwest Waterfront URA, Commissioner Erik Sten said the City Council was moving favorably towards agreement on the establishment of the 30% set aside. On Friday, the Portland Development Commission staff released a draft proposal for the implementation of a 30% set aside. Though Commissioners Sten, Sam Adams and Randy Leonard have long supported the set aside, the reported movement from the rest of Council and the PDC Commission is welcome news to AHN and the housing advocacy community. None the less, AHN still is concerned about several essential details: Establishing the 30% set aside so it is binding City policy and instituting income based allocation guidelines so that an adequate portion of the housing set aside funds are used to meet the areas of most urgent housing need (i.e. serving families, seniors and people with disabilities at the lowest incomes). Additionally, concerns about exempting industrial and ‘expiring’ districts from the set aside, including non-residential community facilities as an eligible expense for the housing funds, and other implementation details remain important issues as City Council and the PDC Commission decide the details for the set aside. For more information on the set aside, click here, or contact Michael Anderson via email or at (503) 335-9884.

$100 million for Affordable Housing 9/18/2006 The Housing Alliance needs your help! We are asking the Legislature to take bold action to address the affordable housing crisis that is gripping out state. Oregon has the tools to provide needed housing for working families, seniors, people with disabilities and other that have been left behind by the inflating housing market. But in order to access those tools, we need to commit the necessary funding. With your help, we can win $100 million for affordable housing in 2007. Endorse our proposal for $100 Million for Affordable Housing! The Housing Alliance is gathering endorsements of our proposal for $100 million for Affordable Housing. If your organization, business, or congregation supports housing opportunity for Oregonians, join hundreds of other organizations in endorsing the $100 million for Affordable Housing. The Housing Alliance’ goal is to gather 500 endorsements before the 2007 Legislative session begins in January. If the endorsement strategy worked in Ohio, we can make it work in Oregon! In 2005, the State of Ohio passed a similar funding package for housing. In their successful campaign, they gathered over 800 endorsements and won broad, bi-partisan support of their agenda before their 2005 Legislative session began. Since Oregon is smaller than Ohio, we figure that we need 500 endorsements by January 2007 for similar success here. Who can endorse? The Housing Alliance is seeking the endorsements of organizations, businesses, religious congregations, social clubs, elected officials and prominent individuals. What is most important is that we show a broad range of support across the state. All endorsements are welcome! To download the endorsement form, click on the link below: $100 million for Homes for hardworking families and our neighbors on fixed incomes For more information on our agenda, please visit us on the web at http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org. There you’ll find background on our proposals, our agenda, and endorsement forms. Need more information before endorsing? Give us a call. We need your organization to sign on! The Housing Alliance will gladly send a representative to your organization to explain the 2007 Housing Opportunity Agenda and to answer any questions. To arrange for a speaker to come to your organization, contact Michael Anderson at (503) 335-9884 or via email or Amy Fauver at (503) 226-3001 x-102 or via email.