#rentersos

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Created on Thursday, 28 January 2016 00:00 | Written by Sam Chase

“Ideas like land trusts, density bonuses, tenant protections, and building code changes are explored and detailed like a menu of options local and state governments can put into place. And Metro soon will pilot a grant program to help cities around our region implement the changes they would like to see in their communities. 

Unfortunately, no single policy tool will solve the problem of housing affordability. And no single city in our region should have to bear the burden of addressing this issue alone.  “

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GENTRIFICATION SPOTLIGHT: How Portland is Pushing Out Its Black Residents (Part 2)

Portland, Oregon, has become one of the country's worst examples of Black displacement and gentrification in the country. Part 2 of our report looks at how Black-led and multiracial coalitions are trying to come up with their own solutions.

“the renter protections are inferior to those already in place in Portland, and the inclusionary zoning provision is relatively weak—the “affordable” units need only to be attainable for families making 80 percent of the area median income.

Housing advocates such as CAT executive director Justin Buri mourn the compromises they had to make to get these bills passed. “It is disappointing that tenants are not prioritized in the way other constituencies are,” he says. Still, the year’s organizing efforts had big wins, too: changing the conversation about tenants and winning new allies in the environment and labor movements.”

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GENTRIFICATION SPOTLIGHT: How Portland is Pushing Out Its Black Residents

Between its alarming legacy of racism and its skyrocketing rents, Portland, Oregon, has become one of the country's worst examples of Black displacement and gentrification. What will it take for this hipster heartland to live up to its warm and fuzzy reputation?

“If Portland is trying to be this model of sustainable, livable, walkable, 20-minute cities, and it’s not racially diverse and it’s not class diverse, we’ve got big problems about what that means for anywhere else,” says Lisa Bates, a professor of urban planning at Portland State University. “Is it only viable to use public resources to create a favorable environment if you get rid of all the undesirable people?”

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Community steps in to help elderly woman facing steep rent hike

BEAVERTON, Ore. - Faced with a 62 percent rent increase at her Beaverton apartment, 87-year-old Clara Nichols says she's running out of options on making ends meet.When she moved to the apartment in 1989, her rent was $365. In recent years, her rent has be

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Elderly woman forced out after rent spike: 'I am literally helpless'

UPDATE: After seeing Clara's story #LiveOnK2, several community members have pitched in to help her cover the increasing cost of rent. | READ MORE______________________Clara Nichols moved so much when she was younger, she wanted her apartment off Northwest

“ Saturday, she got a notice that her rent was going up 62 percent, forcing the 87-year-old on a fixed income to move.“

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Hales wants zombie houses brought back to life

Portland Mayor Charlie Hales is ready to launch new tools for the city to get rid of zombie houses.

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Still top of lists, PDX rent hikes could flatten

“Hot markets are still going to be hot in 2016, but rents won’t rise as quickly as they have been,” says Dr. Svenja Gudell, chief economist for Zillow, which tracks rents and home…

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Group wants Portland to ban evictions, freeze rent hikes

Rent increases in Portland are among the highest in the country, and one group says the city isn’t doing enough to fix the problem. Portland Tenants United has a rally planned for Thursday mo…