Candidate for Governor

Letter Grade: F

Overall Score: 39.4/72

1.) In your view, what are the main causes of the current housing crisis?

Restrictive Zoning; Excessive Permit & Licensing Costs; Excessive Property Taxes; Imported Construction Material Costs; Low Supply & High Demand with no relief in sight...except for my Contract With Oregon. (0.7/5)

2.) What are your top priorities for advancing tenants rights? Please list one to three policies or initiatives you are or will be proactively championing, and provide an explanation of a. your work around this/these policies, and b. why it is/they are important.

1) Change zoning control to County Level as they know what they need.  This will increase jobs, income, and provide necessary housing.  2) Institute the Apache County Resolution to take back USFS & BLM land to the control of each County, manage the land, extend urban boundaries (notably for housing), and take advantage of our own building materials to reduce construction costs. 3) Shrink high cost building permits/licenses which will be provided at the County level with State policing to ensure costs remain at reasonable levels. 4) The key to prosperity is opportunity, direction, and a proper management of state resources.  Please see my "Contract With Oregon". (0.7/5)

3.) Do you rent or own your residence? If you own your home, when were you a renter most recently?

Currently own, but rented most of my life. Rental costs in Oregon exceed real income averages.  Rent should be about 20% of income, now it's 60-80%.  Improper automatic 3% property value increases must be ended as they are not legitimate valuations. (0/2)

4.) Are you currently a landlord? If so, in what capacity?

No, nor have I been a landlord.  I do know good landlords who do not use the current environment to gouge their tenants. (2/2)

5.) PTU had been advocating for the Tenant Protection Ordinance along with a coalition of over 25 organizations. The TPO would support tenants experiencing harassment from their landlord. If elected, will you prioritize and support passing the Tenant Protection Ordinance?

If rentals are to reasonable code, and the economy truly supports rental prices, then there should be minimal problems.  Excessive drug use and the damage that ensues should never be tolerated.  This question is highly complicated and I'd like to address each issue on it's own.  Good landlords exist here in Oregon, and I know them. Their tenants LOVE them. (0/2)

6.) Portland’s relocation ordinance currently kicks in at a rent increase at 10% or above. Would you favor lowering the amount that triggers relocation payments if a rent increase forces tenants to move?

Yes (2/2)

7.) If elected, would you work to overturn the state of Oregon’s preemption preventing local rent control measures, and work towards local rent control with a lower annual increase cap?

Yes (2/2)

8.) If you answered yes to #6 and #7, how would you champion or advocate for the changes needed? What are your priorities and timeline?

It's a matter of supply and demand.  The more housing availability, the lower the rent.  They are overinflating rent due to limiting housing construction and overvaluation.  That is a PRIMARY cause of our current housing/rent issues.  Deal with the real underlying problem fixes a lot of symptoms. (0/5)

9.) If elected, would you support the right of tenants to collectively bargain their leases and rent?

Yes (2/2)

10.) If elected, would you support a Right to Counsel (tenants in eviction courts are guaranteed legal counsel) and a funding mechanism to provide it?

Yes, under specific circumstances. And if the Judge rules in favor of the tenant (2/2)

11.) If elected, would you ask Portland Tenants United to participate in any community engagement process that involves tenant law or housing justice issues? What other groups would you invite to the table?

Yes, lead by a solid example and always work to improve such a group.  There are those politicians who pretend to address the "symptoms" while I, as a pragmatist, identify the primary "cause."  It's a project manager approach that keeps costs down, shortens the time to completion, avoids creating other problems, and saves money. (2/2)

12.) How would you ensure that policies and processes which affect tenants meaningfully include impacted renters, and reflect the diversity of the tenants affected?

In this day and age, "diversity" is a four letter word excuse.  Equal to all means equal to all.  Treat ALL equally and no one can complain.  "Equity" and "Equitable"  are used in an ambigious way that is insulting and not even close to EQUAL.  Stop using them. (0/5)

13.) Would you refuse or return campaign contributions from Multifamily NW's Equitable Housing PAC, The Good Landlord PAC, More Housing Now! PAC, or similar real estate industry PACs?

Yes (2/2)

14.) Landlords and lobbyists have often walked away from policy conversations when they feel that the status quo is threatened . How will you respond if landlords and lobbyists refuse to engage in good faith toward a tenant-friendly solution to a housing crisis problem?

By offering solutions that address the common ground and the real issues, I can work to: eliminate property tax thus reducing rent costs; end income tax and put more money in tenants pockets which opens the door to buying a home and affording reasonable rent;  increase rental availability thus increasing competition and naturally correcting rental rates through the zoning expansion and reduced construction material costs. (0/5)

15.) Are there other ways, besides those you have already mentioned, that you will champion housing affordability, expand tenant rights, and fight displacement?

I will address the REAL underlying issue to eliminate the symptoms of affordability, issues leading to tenant rights, and replace displacement with landlord competition. (0/5)