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A group of community and housing leaders meeting next week to advise Metro on the development of a measure to increase the supply of affordable homes in the Portland metropolitan region has found alignment around some of the key values that should inform the framework Metro develops for the measure. At its February meeting, the group members identified racial equity and equity related to age, ability and inclusivity as key values that Metro should use in designing the potential funding measure and investing in building and protecting affordable homes.
The stakeholders also articulated a number of additional priority values, including:
- Homes for youth, seniors, families and people who are experiencing homelessness or are vulnerable to homelessness
- Development that increases community access to transportation, employment, education, food and social services
- Fiscally sound projects that permanently preserve affordability
- Mixed-income communities and mixed housing types.
Addressing the group, Metro chief operating officer Martha Bennett said the values conversation provides an essential foundation for the work to come. At its next meeting, the group will discuss preliminary scenarios for the measure, in a discussion based on around the values they have articulated.
“I hope we get consensus, so we can build an initiative that will not just be successful at the ballot but successful in implementation, bringing more homes to more people in our region,” Bennett said. Bennett will use the group’s advice in her recommendation to the Metro Council later in the spring. The council is expected to decide on a referral in June.
The advisory group includes representatives of community-based organizations, housing and equity advocates, developers, funders, public agency staff, elected officials and business and labor leaders from across the region.
Metro's stakeholder advisory table meets again on March 19. A technical advisory group working in tandem with the advisory table is also meeting monthly.
Learn more about Metro's regional housing funding strategy