With several new Portland City Council members voicing support for social housing, the idea of city-owned, mixed-income housing could soon appear on the council’s docket.
Mitch Green, representing District 4, has pledged to introduce a proposal for the city to develop and manage publicly owned housing funded by a revolving loan model, allowing repaid loans to finance new housing projects continuously. Green points to Montgomery County, Maryland’s $50 million social housing fund, established in 2021, as evidence that this model can be sustainable without new taxes.
“I think it’d be very difficult to pass a new bond or raise taxes in this city right now,” he told Rose City Reform last month, suggesting instead that existing resources within the Portland Housing Bureau could be reprioritized. He also points to other funding sources, such as state grants, tax increment financing, and potential community investment through co-op shares or limited private backing.
On the campaign trail, Green’s stance on social housing was backed by other candidates, including councilors-elect Sameer Kanal (D2) and Tiffany Koyama Lane (D3), all of whom, along with Jamie Dunphy (D1) and Angelita Morillo (D3), have also signed a pledge dubbed the Renters’ Bill of Rights. This pledge, developed by the Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), calls for renter protections such as six months’ notice before rent increases, relocation assistance for rent hikes over 5%, and a right to legal representation in eviction cases. It also proposes linking rent to the minimum wage to ensure housing affordability for full-time workers.
Since both social housing and a Renters’ Bill of Rights are DSA priorities, council members who support one may be inclined to support the other. However, these members alone fall short of the seven-vote majority required to pass proposals on the new 12-member city council. To advance, Green and others will need additional backing from progressives like Candace Avalos (D1) or Elana Pirtle-Guiney (D2). Portions of Green’s revolving loan proposal also align with Portland’s Housing Production Strategy, which could appeal to moderate members, even if they hesitate on income-linked rent caps.
