Timothy (T.J.) Anderson's Questionnaire Answers

Running for City Council District 4

Yellow Light - This candidate seems ok, but not strong enough to receive something like an endorsement. We are not opposed to someone ranking this candidate.

Question 1: In your view, what are the primary causes of the housing crisis?

Portland has become a bad investment, and that means people cannot find jobs and that means people cannot find housing. That leads to businesses not wanting to build here

Question 2: What are the main policies that you would champion to address the current housing crisis?

First more supports for people on ssi, disability and for those in college, those are people that need to focus on different things in their life and the fact after how much has been spent on the homeless situation with little result has been disgraceful to those trying to get by. I would also like to investigate hoa, particularly those whose hoa fees are near identical amounts to the rent because many of the apartments would be low income capable if some hoa fees were maxed at half of the rent as an example

Question 3: Provide an explanation of your work around the policies listed above, and why you believe they are important?

Looking into hoa fees in a lot of apartments there is very little law around what an hoa is used for and some have used it more of a catch all fee whenever something increases

Question 4: Do you rent or own your residence?

Rent

Question 5: If you own, when were you last a renter?

N/A

Question 6: In PTU’s most recent survey of tenants, harassment of tenants by landlords was one of the top issues faced by Portland tenants. What would you do to address harassment of tenants by landlords?

Inform tenants on resources, create nets so they can work through issues at lower stress, and when landlords screw up make sure it is not going to be a continued issue without heavy penalty.

Question 7: If elected, would you advocate to overturn the State of Oregon's preemption preventing municipalities from implementing local rent control, and work towards local rent control with a lower annual increase cap?

Question 8: Please share more about your thoughts on rent control.

Rent control is only going to inflate rent for prolonged pressure, where I would go is looking to the many companies deemed as tenant finding, and doing much of the usual work of a landlord for a cut of prolonged profits.

Question 9: If elected, would you support the right of tenants to collectively bargain their leases?

Yes

Question 10: Please share more about your thoughts on tenants' right to collectively bargain.

Its a business move, to organize is to collect your power and if you can do it with everyone on board then it may even be easier to deal with. The problem logistically is people moving and out some may not want to join so how will that be handled, because if it is by fee and association we are back in the hoa pool and that is only going to be a bigger problem

Question 11: Other local tenant groups have launched a Renter’s Bill of Rights campaign. Have you pledged to support the Renter’s Bill of Rights?

Yes

Question 12: Please share more about your thoughts on Renter’s Bill of Rights. What are two or three policies that you are particularly passionate about?

I think 1 and 9 will be useful but the problem is going to do it without rent control, otherwise the market is going to stagnate and inflate as seen in New York, San Francisco, etc.

Question 13: How would you ensure that policies and processes which affect tenants meaningfully include impacted renters, and reflect the diversity of the tenants affected?

Well considering I'm the only candidate interested in talking with people instead of collecting their money my first thing in case I needed more info would be going to talk to more people. I'm organizing

Question 14: 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

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

Well, first lets be honest, we need to separate those trying to properly help from those who are going through the motions to pat themselves on the back, once we do that we push those who are trying to actively help. Being homeless I have seen a lot of people saying they help and not a lot of people wanting to make progress. We need to give the right people some ground to run and pull back the horses that are just doing the bare minimum.