The Oregon Opportunity Network, or Oregon ON, says a new report by the Portland Development Commission illustrates how affordable housing units for the poorest are slipping out of grasp for many residents. We're still above 2002 levels, when the benchmark of "No Net Loss" was created, but nearly 1,500 fewer than where we were just 4 years ago.
Between the lines, the report foretells of even tougher times ahead for Oregonians needing housing. They already live in the state that tops the national charts in homelessness (No. 1), unemployment (No. 2) and hunger No.3). It will also be a mighty stress test for our nationally heralded 10-year plan to end homelessness. Two years ago, the feds held it up as epitomizing their prescribed cure to a social cancer. We'll see how well it ages now.
You can download the complete report from the PDC here.
Here's the complete statement from Oregon ON:
A recently-released report from the Portland Development Commission shows that housing affordable to Portland’s wealthiest has increased in the central city since 2005, while housing for the poorest has decreased by almost a quarter.
“Despite the City’s well-intended policies, the number of affordable units downtown continues to drop,” said Bobby Weinstock, Housing Consultant for NW Pilot Project. “The reality is, people who need housing can’t get it.”
The report, compiled by PDC to evaluate the city’s No Net Loss housing policy, shows the percentage of total rental units in the 0-30% and 31-50% Median Family Income (MFI) categories decreased by almost 23% in the last three years.
The report inventories housing in the “Central City,” defined as Central Eastside, Downtown, Goose Hollow, Lloyd District, Lower Albina, River District, South Waterfront and the University District.
This decrease was mirrored by an 11.8% increase in units affordable to households earning at or above 120% MFI, due largely South Waterfront development and conversion of planned condo developments to high-end rental units.
“To truly address the loss of affordable units, the City needs to spend urban renewal Affordable Housing Set-Aside dollars more effectively,” said Debbie Aiona, a representative of the League of Women Voters. “The policy is in place, but has not yet been used to its full advantage.”
The City of Portland created the Affordable Housing Set-Aside two years ago as a way to avoid the displacement and gentrification often caused by the creation of urban renewal districts.
Despite the decrease in affordable housing in the central city, the report concludes that Portland continues to meet the No Net Loss Policy. This is because while numbers of affordable units continue to plummet, they have not yet fallen below the policy’s 2002 benchmark of 8,286 units. Currently the number of units meeting Policy requirements is about 200 above the benchmark. By contrast, in 2005, around 10,000 units met Policy requirements.
The data from the report will be used for the Portland Plan update, the discussion the creation of a potential new downtown Urban Renewal Area, and updates of central city housing strategies.
Oregon ON is a statewide association of over 40 nonprofit affordable housing and community development organizations. Their mission is to support and strengthen its members through advocacy, communications, peer learning, and best practices development. Oregon ON was founded in July 2008 as the result of the merger of the Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations (AOCDO) and the Community Development Network (CDN).
Posted by Joanne Zuhl