[Portland, OR] – Today, Tina Kotek, candidate for Governor and former Speaker of the Oregon House, released a comprehensive plan to focus Oregon’s effort to tackle the state’s homelessness and affordable housing crisis.
“No one should have to live in a tent on a sidewalk. Homelessness is a humanitarian crisis in our own backyards. Our state’s housing crisis requires a comprehensive, collaborative approach,” said Tina Kotek. “As Governor, addressing homelessness and affordable housing will be my number one priority. I will use every tool and resource available to meet this challenge.”
As Oregon’s next Governor, Tina will tackle Oregon’s homelessness and affordable housing crisis through these five goals:
- End unsheltered homelessness for veterans, families with children, unaccompanied young adults, and people 65 years and older by 2025, and continue to strengthen pathways to permanent housing for all Oregonians experiencing homelessness.
- Build enough housing to meet the need for people currently experiencing homelessness, address the current shortage of housing, and keep pace with future housing demand by 2033.
- Advance racial equity by reducing the racial homeownership gap by 20 percent by 2027.
- Keep people housed who are currently on the brink of homelessness.
- Encourage intergovernmental and private sector partnerships to have more effective and efficient responses to solving this crisis.
As House Speaker, Tina was the state’s leading legislative champion for housing reforms, including the following actions:
- Providing more shelter for Oregonians impacted by COVID-19 and the 2020 Labor Day wildfires by securing $75 million for Project Turnkey, an innovative new program to repurpose motel properties to create more short-term housing. In less than seven months, Project Turnkey created 19 new shelters in 13 counties, resulting in a 20% increase in the state supply of shelter beds, adding 865 new housing units for Oregonians in need.
- Championing more than $1.5 billion in new, targeted state investments over five years to increase housing access, shelter capacity, rental assistance and other housing support across Oregon.
- Keeping renters housed by ensuring fair eviction standards and prohibiting extreme rent increases.
- Streamlining the processes for emergency shelters and affordable housing construction because bureaucracy should never get in the way of helping people.
To read Tina’s complete housing and homelessness plan, please visit: www.tinafororegon.com/housing
To view Tina’s policy priorities, please visit: www.tinafororegon.com/