Chloe Eudaly, a book seller and publisher, is a co-founder of the Independent Publishing Resource Center and the Special Education PTA of Portland. She has devoted over a decade to disability advocacy and more recently turned her attention to affordable housing and tenants’ rights.
Eudaly is running for commissioner position No. 4 on the Portland City Council. Here are her responses to Street Roots' candidates pop quiz — a mix of short-answer, yes-or-no, and multiple-choice questions. (Read other candidates' responses.)
QUESTION 1
You only have $10 million to spend. The fire bureau says that without $5 million, call times for critical services will be hampered, potentially costing people’s lives. Social-service agencies need $5 million because rent increases mean they can’t place people into housing, creating a backlog of people waiting to get off the streets. Both the police and the parks bureaus need critical support for services totaling $7 million. What do you do? (150 words or less)
I will prioritize social services and pursue any additional measures available in stemming the tide of unchecked rent increases and no-cause evictions, which have led to tens of thousands of cost-burdened renters as well as a significant portion of our homeless population. By helping to keep people in their homes, as well as getting people housed and off the streets, we will decrease the demands on our fire and police, saving money, improving public health, and strengthening communities in the process. The public cost of serving people who are homeless is up to five times greater than it is to serve people in supported housing. Safe, stable and affordable housing is a basic need and human right. It needs to be the city’s top priority because it is our biggest and most urgent problem. This is an emergency. Let’s start acting like it.
QUESTION 2
The Portland Police Bureau’s contract with the city says police officers involved in an incident using deadly force must receive 48 hours’ notice before being compelled to speak to bureau investigators. Average citizens, however, are questioned often immediately on the grounds of capturing the best memory of events. Yes or No: Would you vote to abolish the 48-hour rule?
Yes. It is not common or best practice in law enforcement, it will improve police accountability, and it’s called for under our DOJ settlement. Perhaps most importantly the continued refusal of the police union to get rid of the 48-hour rule is increasing community mistrust and resentment at a time when PPD needs to be mending its fences.
QUESTION 3
Yes or No: As commissioner, will you end the practice of contracting for military and militarized equipment for use by our police bureau?
Yes. Intimidation doesn’t lend itself to successful community policing and the increased militarization of our police can lead to more forceful and potentially deadly interventions than necessary.
QUESTION 4
Please place the following items in order of priority as commissioner. Note with 1, 2 and 3.
• Increase parking
• Bike infrastructure
• Low or no-fare public transit
1. Low- or no-fare public transit (plus greater ADA accessibility)
2. Bike infrastructure (coupled with curb cuts and other ADA improvements)
3. More neighborhood parking permit zones to encourage visitors to walk, bike or bus.
QUESTION 5
Choose the item in each pairing that is more suited to you:
1. Uber or Radio Cab
2. Raincoat or Umbrella
3. Adidas or Nike
4. Maple Bacon Doughnut or Kale
1. Radio Cab
2. (It depends.)
3. (Brand loyalty and sweatshops are out.)
4. (Neither)
QUESTION 6
Complete this sentence with the following options: I smoke marijuana ____________
a. For medicinal purposes only.
b. To decompress after a stressful day.
c. Recreationally. Hey, it’s legal.
d. Rarely.
e. Never.
I smoke marijuana rarely. I prefer cocktails and remaining coherent.
QUESTION 7
Make one promise to the city’s people of color that you will deliver on as commissioner. Street Roots will check on its status every year.
Just one promise to address the ongoing effects of historic and institutionalized racism in one of the whitest cities in the country? I’ve got three: I promise to seek out, value and honor the input of communities of color in all aspects of my work on council. I promise to advocate for transparent citywide goals around diversity, equity and inclusion for all city spending, hiring and programming. I promise to fight further displacement of communities of color in all current and future urban renewal areas, by insisting on rigorous anti-displacement measures, and requiring community benefit agreements (to be crafted by the communities involved) from all developers utilizing public dollars or receiving incentives from the city.
QUESTION 8
How will you ensure young people of color will succeed in Portland?
This is another complicated question with no single adequate answer. Lack of economic opportunity and affordable housing, combined with gross inequities in our educational system, and generations of racism and discrimination mean that most young people of color will face multiple challenges and barriers to success. While the city, county and state must work together to develop long-term strategies for these bigger systemic issues, we can still take smaller and more immediate steps to not just helping youth, but presenting our communities with ways in which they can step up and help create the welcoming and inclusive communities youth need and deserve through community partnerships. After all, this is not a shortcoming on the part of the youth or communities of color; this a failure of our larger society to guarantee equal rights and opportunities to all people.
One great example of the kind of partnership I’m talking about is the Boise Youth Business Unity Project, where students from Jefferson and Rosemary Anderson high schools are matched with area businesses for paid summer internships. Youth learn valuable job skills while building wider connections in their local communities. Local businesses have a chance to give back to communities they do business in by investing in area youth.
QUESTION 9
In one sentence, state something you will do as commissioner to ease the burden on Portland’s small businesses.
The lack of affordable housing poses a triple threat to Portland’s small-business owners — residential and commercial rents are going up unchecked, making it harder for small-business owners who are renters to live and do business in Portland, harder to find and retain employees who are becoming cost-burdened by rent, and harder to attract customers, many of whom now have less discretionary income — which is one of the many reasons why affordable housing and tenant protections are my top priority.
QUESTION 10
Pair the issue with the sentiment. Use each sentiment only once:
1. Sit-lie sidewalk law
2. Public campaign finance option
3. Expanded light rail transit into Washington St.
4. PPB Horse Patrol
a. Great idea
b. Good idea
c. Needs work
d. Nope
1. Sit-lie sidewalk law – d. Nope
2. Public campaign finance – a. Great idea
3. Expanded light rail – b. Good idea
4. PPB Horse Patrol – c. Needs work
QUESTION 11
Portland is losing significant, large trees at a rapid pace to development. In 50 words or less, what will you do to save these legacy trees?
The choice to destroy our urban canopy shouldn’t be left up to developers. No one should be allowed to take down large, healthy, non-dangerous, non-nuisance trees without public notice, steep fines (i.e. the actual value of the tree), restrictions on percentage of trees removed, and 1:1 replacement requirements.
QUESTION 12
Yes or No: Understanding we’re going to have street homelessness, do you support tent cities?
Yes. We have to meet people where they are in this crisis and right now thousands of people are on the streets. If we cannot immediately provide adequate shelter space or permanent affordable housing, supporting safe and stable areas for tent cities is the next best option.
QUESTION 13
Select a local artist – professional or amateur – to draw your favorite thing about Portland.