OUR LEGISLATIVE PROJECTS 2021-22

The 2 years long COVID Pandemic has made clear that Oregon renters and homeowners who followed temporary stay-at-home- mandates, resulting in mass job losses, financial ruin, business closures, and a stalled Oregon economy that may last for years, we need a broader and more comprehensive definition of the state of emergency, including its triggers and, long-term protective housing safeguards. 

Temporary fixes that increase the risks of  mass displacement, eviction and homelessness,  drastically reducing the gains in public safety is No Longer an Option.  

Major changes in policies and our shift in values are needed immediately.  

Expanding the definition of State of Emergency Declaration 

Oregon's Housing State of Emergency Bill

We will be putting forth an amendment to the Oregon  State of Emergency Declaration adding housing to the weather and financial disaster threats to public safety, and identifying 5 major qualifying triggers.

• Economic Disaster ( including speculation, price-fixing, price acceleration, and other destabilizing real estate practices) 
• Public Health & Safety
• Mass Housing threat of  Loss 

           ( to include any city or statewide threat leading to f displacement, eviction, and homelessness)

• Homelessness  reaches X proportions/ local populations)
• Senior Exemptions  ( seniors on a fixed income - once they reac maximum 20% threshold  of Income for Rent triggers an  automatic exemption) 

Preparation: 

1. Research Current State of Emergency Declaration Law 
2. Learn how to sponsor a Bill
3. Get edforcement  signatures 
4. State Representatives to sponsor the bill
5. Hold public forums on the issue weighing benefits and limitations 
6. Outline the major objections to the bill
7. Identify allies and opponents
8. Identify and Understand their objections and priorities 
9. Develop counter strategies and tactics to overcome objections 

The 30% of income paid for rent rule does not work for lower-income residents struggling to keep up with continually rising prices in an already overpriced real estate market that is using daily computerized pricing tools that have over time priced huge populations of renters out of housing altogether. 

Our Housing Pricing System is Creating Our Homelessness Problem

We believe the real purpose of housing is to serve as shelter,  protection and, enriching the lives of our citizens  Vs housing as a commodity.  

Continuing this insane and dangerous profiteering practice by wagering public safety and people's lives for economic gains for a few investors is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated. 

 The Rent / Income Bill 

Goal: Shift to a Community Based Housing System 

• Decommodify 70% of rental  housing for the working class  
• Reset  rental housing prices to  incomes  
• Limiting swift upticks in prices ( that lead to mass displacement, and homelessness 
• Simplify the housing payment system
• Eliminate the voucher system and its' heavy bureaucracies

Plan: 

Start an open dialogue thru public forums to discuss this important 21st-century shift in values related to the purpose of housing in general. 

• How has the commodification of housing benefited and harmed up?
• Do we want to keep on the path to mass homelessness?
• How can we redesign our economic and housing systems so that they serve our needs Vs becoming victims of them?  

New tools: 

Issuance of Housing Card - housing file (similar to social security # and database)  

Housing Account is paid according to income ( monthly or quarterly)

Arrears Proof System due to job loss, illness- payment is suspended, until you return to full employment)