A Shared Path
June 12, 2012
The Oregonian recently published a series on Fair Housing. The intersection of race, geography, and opportunity is an important subject.
On Sunday, The Oregonian’s Editorial Board weighed in. They made three important points:
1. Powerful market forces, including low vacancy rates, rising rents,
and unemployment, are pushing low-income families east.
and unemployment, are pushing low-income families east.
2. Portland cannot solve this problem alone. It will require a
regional solution.
regional solution.
3. The best long-term approach to housing choice is to invest in distressed neighborhoods
and to build and preserve housing in stronger neighborhoods.
and to build and preserve housing in stronger neighborhoods.
Over the past four years, the City has invested close to $200 million (roughly one-quarter in federal funds, the rest local) to improve the quality of housing options city-wide — from Cully and Lents to South Waterfront and Hillsdale.
Our Fair Housing Advocacy Committee is working hard to promote fair housing and equal opportunity in our community.
We welcome your thoughts.
The Oregonian Editorial Board, June 9, 2012
Portland is Making Progress on Affordable, Fair Housing
Lou Savage & Isaac Dixon, The Oregonian, June 11, 2012
The State of Housing: A Portland Story
Street Roots, April 13, 2012
Map of Portland Housing Bureau investments, 2009 - present
Affordable Housing Dilemma: The Preservation vs. Mobility Debate