Seven of the five candidates for Erik Sten’s city council seat gathered at the First Unitarian Church on SW 12th at lunch time to field a series of questions on affordable housing and homelessness.
MARC JOLIN OF JOIN: Introduces Nick Fish, Ed Garren, Jim Middaugh, Fred Stewart and Harold C.Williams II…

CHURCH: Rammed with about 150 affordable housing and homeless advocates…

Jim Middaugh made much of his endorsement by outgoing commissioner, Erik Sten. He is also the only grassroots candidate in the race, and began by saying he knows “what it takes to get a community motivated to do great things,” giving his ability to raise 1700 signatures in 10 days as an example.

Fred Stewart said his mother’s decision to stay in Northeast Portland 20 years ago drove his involvement with the community. He said he’s seen how public involvement can make a change, but also how the private sector can help.

Nick Fish said he’s proud of the endorsement of Sten’s predecessor, Gretchen Kafoury, and that he’s asking, who is going to step up and lead the change for affordable housing?

Harold Williams said very few people know how to navigate the housing system, currently, and kept pushing the message of increased accessibility for end users.

Ed Garren said he owns a manufactured home on Hayden Island, and that he’s been an economic justice advocate for a long time. He said landlords, right now, are making people homeless out of greed, and proposed rent stabilization in the city. Garren, like Middaugh, also makes a solid grassroots case—he collected signatures to even appear on the ballot, and he’s been successfully increasing traffic to his campaign website through word of mouth.

Tamara DeRidder and Nick Popenuk weren’t present.

Both Fish and Middaugh, who seem to be emerging as the two favorite contenders for this race, had concrete proposals for increasing the accountability of the Portland Development Commission to build more affordable housing with urban renewal money.

Fish said he’d ask, if elected, for an audit of the PDC by the city, and proposed a “use it or lose it” scheme for money PDC didn’t spend in its urban renewal areas on affordable housing—where the money would go direct to the Housing Authority of Portland. He also wonders whether PDC is really the right body for providing affordable housing in the city, and told the room he’s not afraid to think “big picture” on the issue.

Middaugh said he’s met with the auditor to talk about how to ensure more accountability for PDC, and that like Fish, he’s interested in supporting the idea of diverting money from one urban renewal area to another in order to support projects. He said he thought PDC should be simplified.

When the candidates were asked what to do about laws affecting the civil rights of homeless people, Jim Middaugh responded: “Ask Matt Davis what to do.” Which was nice.

Middaugh said he’d revisit the city’s camping ordinance, which currently is having the most impact on people sleeping outside, and said he doesn’t necessarily support the sit/lie ordinance, either. “I understand some of the compromises Erik’s had to make to get the access center, but I think it’s time to revisit some of the agreements that have been made.”

Fish, meanwhile, said “being homeless is not a crime.” He said he’ll ensure there are no laws “enforced disparately against people because of their economic status.”

In their closing remarks, Middaugh said “I don’t think we need a housing wonk right now. I think we need somebody who can rally the troops, and inspire the public to step up.”

Fish, meanwhile, said he would convene a task force to address the apparent discrimination that goes on in the housing world. “When I read the Oregonian I see ads for housing, saying ‘section 8 vouchers need not apply’,” he said. “Is that what we’re about as a community?”

It’s a tough race between two, I’m sorry, seven, well qualified candidates. Let’s see who gets the edge over the coming weeks. Speaking of homeless issues, did you read this week’s feature yet?