MACG Leaders Push for Tens of Millions for Affordable Housing
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."
Read moreMACG Educates Portland Immigrants on President's Order
180 mostly immigrant leaders gathered when the Metropolitan Alliance for the Common Goodput on a training session to update people on the President's executive order, increase understanding about its politics and identify new leaders to help others with applications should the temporary injunction get lifted. This is part of a larger immigrant organizing strategy for the region.