dan ryan (incumbent, running for Commissioner position 2)

Do you support policies that have been passed to ensure every neighborhood in the City of Portland welcomes more neighbors, by allowing middle housing (smaller, denser, lower-cost housing options like smallplexes, cottage clusters, and small-to-moderate-sized apartment complexes), via both the nonprofit and private markets? (e.g., Residential Infill Project and Design Overlay Zone Amendments)?

Yes, and the policies should be strengthened.

Should close-in, low-density neighborhoods be rezoned to allow mixed-income apartment buildings, in order to increase access to amenity-rich neighborhoods, reduce our auto dependence, and relieve displacement pressure on neighborhoods currently home to higher proportions of communities of color and working class Portlanders?

Only in a limited capacity, in certain locations (near parks or transit, etc).

What should Portland do to encourage the development of middle housing (smaller, denser, lower-cost housing options like smallplexes, cottage clusters, and small-to-moderate sized apartment complexes), via both the nonprofit and private markets?

(checklist selections) Invest in the development of regulated affordable homes like these, even if it requires more public subsidy per unit than larger multifamily developments; Acquire land for development of affordable middle housing; Incentivize the development of middle housing (e.g., property tax exemptions); Legalize affordable and culturally-responsive sixplex townhomes in lower-density zones; Expedite land division for affordable sixplexes to increase homeownership opportunities; Allow fourplexes to be slightly larger than triplexes, to incentivize more projects that meet accessibility standards.

Should landowners be able to create historic districts that block lower-cost and below-market homes from high-opportunity neighborhoods without the permission of city council?

No.

Should Portland dedicate less, as much, or more money to regulated affordable housing? (If you answered "more money," what funding mechanism(s) would you pursue to build this additional housing?)

More money.

The City of Portland has a deficit of 19,804 homes affordable to people earning less than 80% Median Family Income (MFI). According to ECONorthwest: “the market has produced little rental or homeownership housing affordable to those below 80% of MFI, and almost no housing below 50% of MFI over the past 20 years. This supports the need for public subsidy to meet the needs of lower-income households.” How would you eliminate the deficit of homes affordable to people earning less than 80 percent of MFI and over what period of time?

Did not respond.

Should affordable housing be equitably distributed across all communities in the City of Portland? In other words, should the City ensure the addition of affordable housing to neighborhoods with a lower than average share of subsidized affordable housing?

Yes.

What actions would you support to address the homelessness crisis in the City of Portland?

(checklist selections) Invest in permanent supportive housing; Invest in behavioral health and other supportive services; Invest in capacity of outreach workers to connect with more people experiencing homelessness; Provide supportive services to and support the self governance of self-organized homeless encampments; Remove barriers to extremely-low-cost market-rate options like backyard homes on wheels, rooming houses and vacant-bedroom rentals; Give people cash or vouchers; Build new congregant shelters that sleep no more than 100 people; Ban camping in certain places.

What policies would you support to advance racial equity in housing access and promote housing stability for all residents and especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color who face disproportionate barriers to housing access?

(checklist selections) Eliminating criminal screening criteria like the City of Seattle did in 2017. Reduce other rental barriers (e.g., eviction history, credit history, etc). Expand investment in emergency rent assistance to prevent evictions for nonpayment of rent. Support fair housing enforcement. Down payment assistance for Black, indigenous, and people of color. Capacity support for culturally specific organizations interested in developing affordable housing. Invest in permanent supportive housing for people exiting institutional settings (e.g., criminal justice, state hospital, in patient treatment). Land back to indigenous people. Expand investment in affordable housing.

What currently proposed tenant protection policies do you support that would protect tenants from unjust eviction or landlord harassment?

(checklist selections) Other: We need a balanced approach.

Optional question: Whose voices should be centered in developing housing and land use policy across the greater Metro area?

(checklist selections) Did not answer.

Optional question: What else should Portland's anti-racist, pro-housing, pro-tenant community know about you & your candidacy?

My office has been actively engaged with Portland Neighbors Welcome since I arrived in office in 2020 and will continue to do so when I serve a full term. Portland must provide as much housing as we can as quickly as possible.

Ryan received a B overall from our scoring committee. See all scores for this primary election and read about our process here.