Kim Kasch (running for Commissioner position 3)

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)?

Other, I believe we can do better. See below.

This question does not point out the largest problem in affordable housing, which is huge corporations buying up all the land and then raising rents and housing costs. I would love to put a cap on corporations buying housing and require that individuals get the opportunities to own their own homes, condos, etc. But that isn’t all. I specifically support lower cost housing options but have ideas of my own that do not fit into this small selection of options suggested. Portland used to have many community housing units, which included downtown apartment complexes that housed a large population of military veterans and lower-socioeconomic portions of our population. These units had opportunities for people to share facilities but to also have their own private spaces, units, to call home. These were very affordable units that were sold off and developed into expensive condominiums.

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?

Other. Zoning will not eliminate the issue - we need to create laws that go beyond this.

With my B.S. in psychology from Portland State University and my lifetime devoted to at-risk youth, I am concerned with the framing of this question which does not address the psychological ramifications associated with high density housing. I believe there are many ways to create affordable housing, which we used to have in Portland, without creating such high density. I would like to see more affordable housing with a multilayered agenda for creating housing for Portlanders. As mentioned in question 1, I would like to see a cap put on large corporations buying up all the land and housing units in Portland. This specific element is the main cause of skyrocketing rent and housing costs in Portland and something no one is talking about. This one factor will end up creating an enormous strain on Portlanders who do not currently own their own housing. With large corporations in total control, they will eliminate the ability for people to buy even the most modest priced homes, condos or units and create an eternal renter class that has no voice at all. I want to discuss the root causes for the over-inflation of rents and housing in Portland not simply deal with one of the symptoms we are currently facing.

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.

There is more to this issue than these options above...see below

Of course, we can encourage nonprofits to step up and help with the housing challenges currently facing Portland, but we need to pass legislation that creates more opportunities for people to purchase their homes and/or apartment units, which would include putting a limit on large corporations from buying up all the land and current property in Portland, along with helping to subsidize new modest-cost affordable housing and apartment complexes. We could also help people get into these affordable apartment complexes with a small portion of their rent going towards purchasing their unit. I would support moving away from creating a trapped renter class that has no voice or opportunity to achieve the American Dream of home ownership.

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. The yes/no structure above is not sufficient. Most Portlanders want to retain the beauty of the historic buildings, but I do not believe that merely the city council should have a voice in where/when/how historic districts are created. I believe this should be something where all Portlanders have a voice. I would put this to a vote of the people.

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.

We need more than the government to help with this issue. We need to legislate new guidelines, put restrictions on large corporations and gather the people, nonprofits and small businesses together to create community supported affordable housing. Oregon had a 1.9 Billion dollar surplus last year. The problem isn't money. The problem is allocation of funds.

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?

I am a huge advocate for affordable housing. Most people are singularly focused on the houseless challenge facing Portland. We need to put in as much energy toward the lack of affordable housing in Portland. We need to create a large coalition of small businesses, nonprofits and the people of Portland to speak up and lobby our legislature to create guidelines that restrict corporations from owning all the land and housing in Portland. There is an enormous issue with the lack of opportunity for Portlanders to have affordable housing and a diminishing effect on our population being able to work towards home ownership. I have ideas of how to create these opportunities and want the chance to speak up in the government to bring back affordable rent and housing to the people of Portland.

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. As all my answers have stated, I want to work hard to create procedures, protocols and guidelines for the city of Portland to not only create new affordable housing in all neighborhoods but to and bring back affordable housing. I will work hard to create opportunities for Portlanders to achieve home ownership.

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; Encourage the expansion of sanctioned outdoor shelters; Build new congregant shelters that sleep no more than 100 people.

Other: I want to find ways to affordably house all people-see comments.

As all my answers have stated, I want to work hard to create procedures, protocols and guidelines for the city of Portland to not only create new affordable housing in all neighborhoods but to bring back affordable housing. I will work hard to create opportunities for Portlanders to achieve home ownership.

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) Selected none.

Other: I am a huge supporter of affordable housing and do not believe these options are sufficient.

Of course, I want to create affordable rent options. But also, as a life-long Portlander, it is a huge goal of mine to bring back affordable housing and help others have the ability to buy affordable homes/condos/units.

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

(checklist selections) Proposed Tenant Protection Ordinance, which would define specific behaviors as landlord harassment, impose monetary penalties onto landlords as consequences for harassment, and strengthen the Rental Services office to support vulnerable tenants who are experiencing harassment; Proposed Eviction Representation for All ballot measure, which would provide free legal representation to all tenants in eviction court in Multnomah County.

I would like to address the root causes and not simply deal with the symptoms.

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

(checklist selections) Did not select.

I want to create/bring back affordable housing. This takes a community.

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

Affordable housing is an enormous and complicated issue. I want to go further; I want to have all Portlanders stand up and fight together for their community and affordable housing.

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