The Legislative session is well underway in Oregon, and it’s time for the Ways & Means Roadshow. If you’ve advocated with the Housing Alliance before, you know that this is a crucial moment in making sure that legislators know that safe, stable and affordable homes must be a top budget priority in Salem, and the Roadshow is the time to make the case!
For those who are new to this process, you might have a few questions:
What is the Ways & Means Committee? The Ways & Means Committee is a powerful joint committee of Senators and Representatives who get to decide what state programs get funded. Faced with the task of balancing the budget, they decide when they can make extra investments in one program, and when it’s time to make spending cuts.
What is the Roadshow? Instead of you traveling all the way to Salem to testify in support of a budget that has meaningful investments in safe, stable, affordable housing, legislators will come to you. Speaking up at the Roadshow will remind committee members that we need immediate resources to support Oregonians struggling to pay rent, to ensure meaningful investments in new housing, and to preserve currently affordable homes.
This year, the Roadshow will be virtual, and there will be five virtual Roadshow stops in each of the five of Oregon’s congressional districts. This is your chance to share why you think why housing should be a priority – all without leaving your home.
Registration: Depending on which congressional district you live in, there will be different links for registration. If you’re not sure which congressional district you live in, you can use this helpful link to find out! Be sure you know which Congressional District you live in before you begin your registration!
- If you live in Congressional District 1 … Your hearing will take place on Wednesday, April 14, 5:30-7:30 pm, and you can register to testify live here, or submit written testimony here.
- If you live in Congressional District 2 … Your hearing will take place on Saturday, April 17, 1:00-3:00 pm register to testify live here, or submit written testimony here.
- If you live in Congressional District 3 … Your hearing will take place on Wednesday, April 21, 5:30-7:30 pm register to testify live here, or submit written testimony here.
- If you live in Congressional District 4 … Your hearing will take place on Thursday, April 22, 5:30-7:30 pm register to testify live here, or submit written testimony here.
- If you live in Congressional District 5 … Your hearing will take place on Saturday, April 24, 1:00-3:00 pm register to testify live here, or submit written testimony here.
While filling out the form, be sure that you indicate you want to speak on “Transportation/Economic Development” Subcommittee, which oversees issues relating to housing.
Logistics: Once you register, you’ll participate in the hearing by phone or video. If you need assistance with electronic registration, call: 1-833-698-1371. You can either join using Microsoft Teams, or by phone, and you’ll want to be present for the beginning of the hearing – you will not know when your name will be called, so you’ll need to be prepared to be present for the two hour period if you can.
What to say: Please keep in mind that you won’t have a lot of time to testify – you will likely have 2 minutes to make the case that everyone deserves safe, stable, and affordable housing, and that the Oregon budget for the 2021-2023 biennium should reflect that!
Here is a template that you could use:
Co-Chair Johnson, Co-Chair Steiner-Hayward, Co-Chair Rayfield, and Members of the Committee.
My name is _____, and I live in (your neighborhood/community). I am here to urge you to pass a budget that invests in safe, stable, and affordable homes for all Oregonians.
Like the air we breathe and the food we eat, a home is a basic human need.
My neighbors and community members in (your community) are struggling to pay their rent, mortgage, or find a safe, stable, or affordable home. We know that the since the pandemic started, financial instability have only gotten worse. People have lost their jobs or loved ones, and are in the middle of making tough choices to stay afloat, such as borrowing money from family members, using credit cards to pay rent, selling personal belongings, or skipping meals.
Oregon’s economic recovery should help those who were hurt most by COVID-19 and our corresponding recession: primarily Oregonians who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color, women; immigrants; and/or LGBTQ+.
[Share your own story of why home is important to you. Have you experienced housing instability? Have you struggled to pay your rent or mortgage because of the COVID pandemic? How has your life been impacted, or how has your community been impacted by housing instability?]
Every Oregonian deserves a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home, and no one should lose their home in the middle of a global pandemic. I’m here today to ask you to invest in housing opportunity.
Please provide funding for (add what’s important to you!) Here are some possible ideas to pick from:
- Oregon needs more money for emergency shelters and emergency rent assistance
- Oregon needs more money to support youth who are experiencing homelessness with shelter and long term rent assistance
- Oregon needs to build more safe, stable, and affordable homes
- Oregon needs to help more people access homeownership
- Please consider supporting the People’s Budget from the Fair Shot Coalition.
Finally, thank the Committee for their time and for their service to the State of Oregon.
Need help? Please feel free to reach out to Alison or Loren.
Thank you for sharing your story and your voice!