Pro-Portland PLAN

Politicians have platforms but people have plans.

Since I’ve launched my campaign I’ve heard from hundreds of everyday Portlanders share the issues they care about. From the cost of living to fully funding the Portland Street Response, the people are tired of a city government that doesn’t listen to them. After months of listening, I’m proud to present my Pro-Portland plan.

My plan has three key areas of focus:

1. Housing and Economic Justice

2. Transportation and Climate Change

3. Community Safety and Development

Housing & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

Our housing crisis is unprecedented and our cost of living keeps going up. More and more people are becoming homeless every day. We need to stop the bleeding. Our city council can do several things to help everyday Portlanders survive in this economy.

A Renters Bill of Rights represents a pivotal move towards ensuring fair and equitable housing for Portlanders. This bill would be similar to one passed in Tacoma and would set a new standard in tenant protection.

Key features of the Renters Bill of Rights:

Landlords who raise rent over 5% annually are required to provide renters with relocation assistance.
Prohibit evictions during the winter months (November-March) for non-payment of rent.
Prohibit evictions of families with students and teachers during the school year for non-payment of rent.

Such measures are vital in a city where almost half of the population are renters, facing challenges with housing affordability and stability.

This Bill of Rights would aim to balance the relationship between tenants and landlords, ensuring that renters have access to safe and affordable housing while maintaining landlords' ability to operate sustainably. By adopting these measures, Portland would not only address the immediate needs of its renting population but also lay the groundwork for a more secure and inclusive housing market.

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Housing is a human right, not a privilege. Sweeps kill and keep our neighbors unsheltered. I will work as a city councilor with our municipal and non-profit partners to end unsheltered homelessness and build affordable housing.

I will move to end the sweeps, which cost us over 22 million dollars a year and keep people houseless. I will work to use those resources for trash pick-up and provide hygiene services right where our unsheltered neighbors live.

We can use the money to fund temporary shelters across the city. As we build trust with our homeless neighbors, we can move them into temporary housing and then permanent housing as it becomes available.

Nations like Finland have virtually eliminated homelessness. We can follow their model and provide homes with wrap-around services to keep people off the streets. We can solve homelessness and build a better city from the bottom up.

Half the bankruptcies in the US are from medical debt.

In recent years, several cities, including New York and Cleveland, have been able to alleviate the burden of medical debt for their citizens by partnering with Undue Medical Debt (formerly RIP Medical Debt). This collaborative effort involves cities allocating funds to Undue Medical Debt, which then utilizes its unique model to purchase large bundles of medical debt at a fraction of their original cost.

Portlanders who make 4x the federal poverty level or less and have medical debt that is 5% or more of their annual income will automatically qualify for debt relief.

By doing so, we can effectively erase millions of dollars of debt, bringing significant financial relief to countless individuals and families. This innovative approach not only helps to mitigate the often devastating impact of medical debt but also serves as a testament to the power of public-private partnerships in addressing complex social challenges. I will work to bring this financial relief to Portland residents, so they can use their money to pay their bills and remain housed.

The elderly are the fastest growing segment of the population ending up homeless.

Unlike their younger contemporaries, they are often unable to work and have been unable to save due to the low wages of late-stage capitalism. Let’s keep the elderly off the streets and let them live their later years with dignity. I want to create a Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot for Porlanders 60 years or older called Save Our Seniors (S.O.S.).

Following successful programs in cities like St. Paul, MN, and Houston, which have proven that basic income programs can alleviate poverty and its worst symptoms. I will work to pilot a UBI program to provide 100 Portlanders over 60 years old who are at risk of being unsheltered with a guaranteed income of $750 per month for one year. The program would cost approximately $1 Million and we would partner with local universities to collect the data.

TrANSPortation & Climate Change

Climate change and transportation go hand-in-hand. Over 40% of Oregon’s carbon emissions come from transit. We need to increase the use of public transportation, along with the number of Portlanders walking and biking to make a significant impact on our environment. Finally, we must put people over profit and tank the tanks at the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub (CEI) in Northwest.

As a city councilor, I work to construct an urban trail network of protected bike and pedestrian paths that cross the city.

This plan originally shared by Bike Portland, aligns perfectly with our commitment to building a more inclusive, accessible, and green city. It's about more than improving cycling and pedestrian infrastructure; it's about reshaping our urban landscape to promote active transportation and fostering a healthier, more connected, and environmentally sustainable Portland.

I see this not just as an infrastructure project but as a crucial step in enhancing the quality of life for all Portlanders, making our city more livable.

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Transportation is a human right. Many localities, such as Albuquerque, NM, and Tuscon, AZ have had success with fareless public transit. Implementing fareless transit will require collaborative efforts and innovative funding strategies, but the long-term benefits are immense. It would increase ridership, decrease traffic congestion, and lower the city's carbon footprint.

More importantly, it would represent a tangible step towards social equity, providing everyone, especially low-income residents, the freedom to move around our city without financial burden. Even though the city council does not handle transit directly, I will work with the State and TriMet to make this happen.

Pedestrian-only zones can make our city safer, and better for the environment, and business. They bolster public safety by reducing vehicle-related accidents, especially benefiting vulnerable groups like children and the elderly. Economically, these zones can be a boon to local businesses due to increased foot traffic, encouraging more frequent stops and purchases by pedestrians. Health-wise, they promote active lifestyles by facilitating walking and cycling, contributing to the physical and mental well-being of the community.

Environmentally, the reduction in vehicle usage helps improve air quality and combat climate change. These zones also foster stronger community bonds and social interactions, as streets become vibrant public spaces for events and gatherings. The Oregonian came out with a list of potential streets in 2019.

We are sitting on a ticking timebomb. The Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub in Northwest Portland presents a looming threat to our city, environment, and the entire state of Oregon. Situated along a six-mile stretch of the Willamette River, this hub is not just a collection of fuel storage facilities; it is the only oil and gas hub in the state and has the potential epicenter for an unparalleled disaster.

Housing over 350 million gallons of carcinogenic and toxic substances, the CEI Hub's proximity to residential areas raises significant concerns about air, soil, and water pollution. The dangers are amplified by the fact that these tanks, sit on liquefiable soil, making them highly vulnerable to earthquakes. The possibility of an earthquake, coupled with other disaster triggers like train derailments or human error, could lead to catastrophic events – massive explosions, unbreathable air, and widespread environmental destruction. Reports suggest that a disaster at the CEI Hub could be on par with historic calamities like Fukushima or Deepwater Horizon, combining the worst elements of environmental and human tragedy.

I will work with the state and other localities to relocate the fuel tanks to safer areas, spreading them across the state to reduce concentration risks, and implementing stringent safety measures at the Hub. I will not make backroom deals that go against the will and best interest of the people. The safety of Portlanders must be prioritized over the profit of oil and gas companies.

Learn more at TanktheTanks.org.

Community Safety & Development

You can't have a livable community without a safe community. We can foster safer neighborhoods and community engagement through progressive, inclusive, and comprehensive approaches. We need a holistic approach that not only addresses immediate safety concerns but also fosters a long-term communal bond by involving citizens in the development process of their neighborhoods.

The Portland Street Response (PSR) is an essential component in our city's approach to public safety, and its full funding and expansion should be a priority for any Portland City Council member.

The structure of PSR, as evaluated by Portland State University, emphasizes a three-person crew consisting of a medical responder, a trained mental health provider, and a peer support specialist. This combination is crucial in effectively de-escalating situations and providing the right kind of assistance, particularly in cases involving mental health issues. PSR needs to operate as an unarmed, de-escalation program separate from police response, ensuring that individuals in crisis are met with care and expertise rather than force.

By fully funding and staffing PSR for 24/7 citywide coverage, we can ensure that all Portlanders have access to this critical service when they need it. Learn more about why this service is essential for the future of our city at FriendsofPSR.org.

In November 2020, the people of Portland determined that our police need significant oversight by passing Measure 26-217 with 82% of the vote. Last November our city council voted to undercut the will of the people by ignoring the recommendations of the Police Accountability Commission (PAC). If elected I will work to pass the recommendations of the PAC which provides the civilian oversight of the PPB that the voters want.

People want to be invested in not punished. We can turn high crime areas of our city into places for the community to flourish. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a proactive and innovative approach to deterring criminal behavior through urban and environmental planning. CPTED strategies foster a safer city by manipulating the physical environment to reduce crime opportunities and increase community engagement. Though adopted as a policy by Portland City Council in 2008, it has not been well implemented.

Key elements of CPTED, such as enhanced visibility through strategic lighting and landscaping, controlled access points, and fostering territoriality by encouraging community ownership of public spaces, significantly contribute to deterring potential criminal activities.

A Dallas non-profit won an award from the Justice Department for their CPTED in work in a high-crime area. I will work closely with PBOT and law enforcement to create similar programs.

I believe that Portlanders should have a say in how the city spends its money. This is why I endorse the Community Budgeting for All ballot initiative that will bring participatory budgeting (PB) to Portland.

It gives people real power over real money. Over a dozen U.S. cities and thousands of municipalities globally use a participatory budgeting process to create budgets.

Instead of typical backroom deals and ignored public testimony, residents would collaborate with city staff to develop and fund solutions to problems Portlanders face. The people would have a recurring avenue to bring forward problems and build and develop solutions in partnership with the city government.

Across the country, research shows that community budgeting can increase the number and diversity of people deciding how public funds are spent. I fully endorse the Community Budgeting for All initiative and will work to enact the measure as soon as possible if elected.

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THE PEOPLE
To create A CITY for
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