In July, leaders of the Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good approached the Portland Housing Advisory Commission (PHAC) to increase the amount of Portland's Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) set-aside money reserved for affordable housing from 30% to 50%. "We are in a crisis and people are being dispossessed from their homes and their neighborhoods….It's bad and it's going to get worse if we don't do something," said MACG leader Bob Brown.

On September 1st 97 MACG leaders packed the scheduled PHAC review hearing. The Director of the Portland Development Commission argued that increasing financing for affordable housing would necessarily involve reducing support for other services. A key MACG ally and former senior housing policy manager for the Portland Development Commission found $55 million in the budget currently not in use, that could be used for affordable housing. According to her, "credit should go to MACG for organizing and understanding that investing in affordable housing supports their goals of creating a healthy economy."

The advisory commission ultimately supported MACG's position on the financing of affordable housing. Now it's up to the city to council to decide.

Faith-Based Group Has a Big Voice on Affordable Housing, Portland Mercury

Photos from TIF Set-Aside Hearing, MACG

Portland Should Spend Tens of Millions More on Affordable Housing, Advisory Group Says, The Oregonian