It's not too late to kill the bill

If you believe our viable affordable housing isn't disposable and could serve future generations, please write here,

jwmnr.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov

with "oppose HB2007" the subject line. Read on for plenty more reasons to say no to HB2007.

Here's how to look forward, with less destruction in mind

The ill-conceived House Bill 2007 certainly has brought on the turmoil and even name-calling by Speaker Kotek, who can't seem to figure out how to gracefully back away from the toxic mess. (By the way, the controversy has managed to stave the bill off the House Ways and Means agenda for another week, which means there's still time to make your voice heard—please do! See next post.)

Take it from a schoolkid: We can reuse houses, too.

It's especially refreshing to hear forward-looking words on land use, such as this from a recent article by Michael Mehaffy, who testified (along with Peggy Moretti of Restore Oregon) at the "information session" given HB2007 earlier this month:

We in the planning and development field need to work harder and more sincerely to find win-win approaches. At the same time, the neighborhood residents need to work harder to find the basis on which that win-win approach might operate. Right now the process is unnecessarily adversarial, and the winner too often is just plain bad development. 

Visit his blog here for more fresh thinking on Portland's problems and how to solve them less destructively.

Watch our movie here to see the city's losses (always affordable housing) and gains (never affordable housing) during this building boom, which continues even as stats from the U.S. Census Bureau show the city's growth rate is slowing.

Please do this

Supporters of House Bill 2007 want it passed before the session ends in Salem (read on for the many reasons why it's a bad idea).

Here's how you can help stop it.