Advocacy Stories Archives - Habitat Portland Region

Advocacy Update: The Future (Need) of Housing in Portland

Posted on June 28, 2022July 1, 2022

Written by Preston Korst, Director of Government Relations. As the number of new homes on the market decreases and the cost to build or purchase a home increases, the outlook for first-time homeownership in Portland appears murky at best. Add to the looking glass a mixture of rising interest rates, constricting supply chains, and a […]

Advocacy Update: Big Wins for Affordable Housing this Legislative Session

Posted on July 30, 2021August 3, 2021

Written by Preston Korst, Advocacy & Government Relations Manager Habitat for Humanity Portland Region has had a busy couple months as federal stimulus dollars hit local municipal bank accounts and the 2021 legislative session in Salem drew to a close. With a busy session behind Oregon lawmakers, Habitat now looks to advocate for strong implementation of newly drafted legislation. We’re also working with cities and counties across the region to […]

Race and Housing IV: The Great Recession and the Racial Homeownership Gap

Posted on October 2, 2020February 7, 2022

Caught between high crime and low vacancy rates, many in North Portland’s Black community saw regional progress while suffering individual setbacks during waves of economic fluctuation.

Race and Housing Part III: Under the Guise of Renewal

Posted on August 31, 2020February 4, 2022

Portland’s Urban Renewal strategies decimated a generation of Black-owned wealth, leading to decades of despair and today’s disparities in racial homeownership rates.

Race and Housing Part II: Exodus, Disaster, and Exploitation

Posted on August 3, 2020February 4, 2022

No two events have had a greater impact on Portland’s housing market than WWII and the flooding at Vanport. The systemic political, cultural, geographical, and racial implications that resulted from the 1940s changed Portland in ways unseen before or since.

The Early History of Portland’s Racist Housing Strategies: Part One

Posted on June 26, 2020February 4, 2022

Portland is known nationally and across the globe as one of the most progressive enclaves in the world. What’s less known is the severe history of racism that, to this day, permeates all systems and institutions, including our neighborhoods, schools, laws, and housing policies.