With affordable housing advocates declaring a "renter state of emergency" in the Portland region, what can we learn from places that have been in crisis mode even longer?
That's among the questions to be discussed by Bay Area journalist Kim-Mai Cutler when she visits Portland this week for a series of events hosted by Metro, Greater Portland Inc. and the Technology Association of Oregon.
Journalist Kim-Mai Cutler will share lessons from her reporting on the housing crisis in the Bay Area.
Cutler's visit will be capped by a panel discussion Friday morning at Metro Regional Center, where she'll share the stage with several local experts on development and affordability.
Cutler's coverage of the Bay Area's housing crisis on TechCrunch has earned praise and widespread attention.
In stories like the evocatively titled How Burrowing Owls Lead to Vomiting Anarchists (Or SF's Housing Crisis Explained), published in April 2014, Cutler has applied a critical analysis of the complex interplay between a booming Bay Area economy, rising rents, displacement and conflicts over development. The "Burrowing Owls" piece has been shared more than 37,500 times to date and sparked a lively discussion in the Bay Area and beyond.
On Friday morning at Metro, Cutler will share lessons from the Bay Area that could help the Portland region avert its own developing housing crisis, as rents rise with the economy and builders struggle to keep up with demand.
Following her presentation, she will be joined on a panel by Portland economist Joe Cortright, developer Eli Spevak and Meyer Memorial Trust Affordable Housing Initiative program officer Elisa Harrigan. The panel will be moderated by reporter Aaron Mesh of Willamette Week.
Greater Portland Inc. hopes to emphasize how housing affordability translates to economic competitiveness, said Janet Lebar, its president and CEO.
“Greater Portland 2020, the region’s 5-year economic development plan, aligns business, education and civic leaders to achieve economic prosperity for all across the region,” Lebar said via email. “A priority identified within the 2020 plan is the need to address housing availability and affordability, especially as it relates to proximity to employment corridors, talent retention and recruitment, and overall livability options for our region’s population."
Metro Councilor Sam Chase will introduce the panel Friday. He said he hopes the conversation helps the Portland region learn from other regions' stumbles – before it's too late.
"We have a real crisis in the Portland area with affordable housing." Chase said. "We need to learn from others like the Bay Area who have struggled with these issues for even longer than us, and understand what we can do to have the greatest impact serving our most vulnerable populations."
The event begins at 8 a.m. Friday and is free to the public.
Learn more here