Metro DELEGITIMIZES Public Housing Bond Vote

The Metro Housing Bond is all about PUBLIC HOUSING.*1 As a long time advocate for Public Housing I am with most voters in recognizing the need for additional Public Housing in the Metro area. In fact, I collected and published the most important and defensible Public Housing Statistical Data related to the Metro Public Housing Bond and asked Metro to publish that data in a form easily comprehended by voters. (See email below of Sept. 22.)

To date, every member of the Metro council has rudely and unprofessionally refused to respond for a plea to help voters understand Metro's ballot measure. Their disrespect will not make this matter go away.

By failing to not only publish but aggressively promote the data I have given them, at no cost, Metro has DELEGITIMIZED the results of the bond election.

By failing to not only publish but aggressively promote the data I have given them, at no cost, Metro has needlessly tainted its reputation and significantly diminished citizen trust in Metro and lost individual credibility for each and every Metro Councilor.

Voters need to see this Public Housing Statistical Data BEFORE they vote. The Public Housing Statistical Data shown below can also be found online here Clackamas, here Washington and here Multnomah .

If Public Housing is to be a Metro regulated regional matter then it must establish Parity of Public Housing Percentages Per Total County Housing Units and Equitable Distribution of Public Housing as its fundamental, inviolable policy. The current imbalance stands at: Clackamas 3.01 percent, Washington 4.44 percent and Multnomah 10.25 percent. Parity would be 5.89 percent.

Metro’s argument to distribute bond funds according to tax bases is specious. It is merely a coverup for a regional policy of NIMBY Favoritism and Economic Segregation favoring Washington and Clackamas counties. Multnomah county should not continue to be the regional dumping ground for Public Housing units.

The public debate over Public Housing Location Parity within and among Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah counties has already begun. Metro has disgraced itself and demeaned the democratic process by failing to publish and promote the Public Housing Statistical Data it has in hand to help voters understand the most basic elements of Public Housing in our community in order to make a wise and informed choice on their ballots.

Vote against Metro’s deception and insults to the voters of Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah counties. Vote NO on Metro’s Public Housing Bond.

Richard Ellmyer

Author of more stories on the politics, players and policies of Public Housing in Oregon over the last seventeen years than all other journalists and elected officials combined.

Author of The Ellmyer Report, a newsletter that informs, educates and influences on public policy. Occasionally distributed to more than a quarter of million readers in Oregon and beyond.

Facebook, Portland Politics Plus.
Contributor: Patch news

*1

PUBLIC HOUSING is a class of housing defined as, Means Test (<=80%MFI) + Government Subsidy (any government any type) + rental agreement.

From: Richard <richard@goodgrowthnw.org>

Subject: Providing YOUR CONSTITUENTS With NEW Decision Making Data For Metro Bond Vote

Date: September 22, 2018 at 7:51:58 PM PDT

To: Tom Hughes <tom.hughes@oregonmetro.gov> and all Metro Councilors

Citizens in Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah counties will soon be asked to vote on a Public Housing Bond property tax increase. To make an intelligent and informed decision voters need to know some basic facts:

A. How many Public Housing Units already exist in each neighborhood of Multnomah county and in each city in Clackamas and Washington counties?

B. What is the percentage of existing Public Housing Units in each neighborhood of Multnomah county and in each city in Clackamas and Washington counties?

C. How many Public Housing Units are likely to exist in each neighborhood of Multnomah county and in each city in Clackamas and Washington counties should the Metro Housing Bond pass?

D. What will be the likely percentage of Public Housing Units in each neighborhood of Multnomah county and in each city in Clackamas and Washington counties should the Metro Housing Bond pass?

Below are three PDF files with the necessary voter information mentioned above. Please direct someone in your IT department to create three maps.

Map#1 Clackamas county with city borders and names.

• Total number of Public Housing Units before and after Metro Bond within each city border
• Percentage of Public Housing Units before and after Metro Bond within each city border
• City background colors are as follows: PH%=0 to <5 Green, PH%>=5 to 15 Yellow, PH%>15 Red

Map#2 Washington county with city borders and names.

• Total number of Public Housing Units before and after Metro Bond within each city border
• Percentage of Public Housing Units before and after Metro Bond within each city border
• City background colors are as follows: PH%=0 to <5 Green, PH%>=5 to 15 Yellow, PH%>15 Red

Map#3 Multnomah county with neighborhood borders and names.

• Total number of Public Housing Units before and after Metro Bond within each neighborhood border
• Percentage of Public Housing Units before and after Metro Bond within each neighborhood border
• Neighborhood background colors are as follows: PH%=0 Blue, PH%>=0 to <5 Green, PH%>=5 to 15 Yellow, PH%>15 Red

Upon request from your IT department I will send them the same data in a format suitable for importing into a mapping database. I will be willing to work with your database professionals as necessary e.g. discussing the Legend for each map. Have your map maker contact me immediately so that I will have some idea of the anticipated completion date.

When the maps are complete please post the underlying spreadsheets that I have provided below and the maps on your jurisdiction’s website and send me the URLs and copies of the maps so that I may post them on other publicly accessible sites. Please included copies of these maps in a format that would be printable as handouts and large image attachments to 3’x5’ foam cores for public forums.

Thank you.

Time is of the essence

Richard Ellmyer

Here is the Public Housing Statistical Data Metro is HIDING from the voters