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Metro Candidate Responses on Racial Gaps in Wilsonville’s Schools and Neighborhoods
At the regional level, Metro is growing in power with recent election wins to raise funds for affordable housing, homeless services, and parks. On this November’s ballot is a major transportation investment which would build upon Metro’s key role in regional transportation planning and investment. I’m truly thankful that candidates Tom Anderson and Gerritt Rosenthal took time to answer these important questions!
Education gap
Research shows that factors outside of the school building play a major role in student achievement. For example, as of last spring, there were 44 students in West Linn-Wilsonville School District experiencing homelessness and only 8 beds to immediately serve people -- of any age -- in all of Clackamas County (none of which exist in Wilsonville).
1. What will you do at the state to address the factors that lead to the K-12 education achievement gap by race in West Linn-Wilsonville School District?
Tom Anderson
Metro currently does not deal with schools, school funding or with school district boundary lines. However, there are many factors that contribute to education success. One factor implied here is the wealth gap. Stable housing is critical to learning and retaining knowledge for school aged kids. The Metro Affordable Housing Bond will address some of these issues, but these are lower cost rental options not home ownership solutions.
These issues are related to State and Federal financing requirements for home loans. There are certain loans that cater to specific areas or specific groups of people such as The USDA Rural loans and the VA loans. Those loan programs could be expanded for first time Black and Latino home buyers. These loans require less money down and are less concerned about credit scores to qualify. Home ownership is the biggest factor for generational wealth in the US and it should be accessible for all that meet basic guidelines.
Gerritt rsoenthal
This is a hard issue for Metro to impact since Metro does not directly deal with education policy or with family services. Most of the Metro impacts are indirect through the Housing Bond measure, Here Together (Homelessness), and Transportation (Get Moving ballot measure). I also have to note that District #3 only includes Wilsonville, so that my work would involve close cooperation with Councilor Lewis on these cross-district concerns.
I support and will make sure the affordable housing bond measure is implemented with opportunities for the cities of the WLWSD to create affordable housing in this district. I also supported the Here Together business tax that will provide both vouchers for families on the edge of houselessness as well as wrap-around services for people (including those of student age) to get help with substance abuse and mental crisis issues. All of these will impact some smallish number of students by providing more stable family situations. My role will be to make sure that these monies are dispersed fairly throughout the Metro region, and that the WLWSD area gets to have complete input and fair access. Every city in Metro has some level of need (and this need is greatest in inner Portland), so this will need to be a collaborative process.
Transportation access is critical for youth who have unstable homes. The proposed Get Moving 2020 measure will have very little impact on the WLWSD area in direct route services, but will, very importantly, provide a free youth pass option. This will make movement of students with housing and family problems much easier. Also, as Metro Council member I will continue to put pressure on TriMet to expand service in the district in this regard. I will explore the options available for making TriMet more accessible or assisting Wilsonville SMART in providing expanded service.
Wealth gap
Combine the fact that only 9% of Wilsonville is middle income, with housing prices rising 40% in the last four years, and homeownership is a fleeting dream. Because homeownership is central to American culture, a complex system of government and private market factors make it the key to wealth building. Not surprisingly, household wealth in America has a historic and systemic 12:1 gap between white and Black families.
2. What will you do at the state to end the household income gap by race in Wilsonville?
gerritt rosenthal
This question is somewhat confusing since it doesn’t specify which element, jobs or house prices. Also, although it is noteworthy that only 9% is middle income; key statistics would be what %’s are low and also upper incomes. My experience (and I need to do more research on this) would lead me to believe that WL and W both have, compared to other cities in the Metro area, relatively high proportions of upper middle class and upper income families. Structurally, either you create more high-paying jobs so people can afford expensive homes, or you work to keep housing prices low and supply “ramp up” housing options like apartments, condos, and small house options.
Metro has little impact on the type of jobs that come to Wilsonville, although indirect effects occur from requiring good planning and urban growth standards, providing regional park and recreation facilities, and making sure other services such as waste management are taken care of.
Regarding housing, this is a problem that Metro has only indirect tools to address. Metro passed the $650 MN affordable Housing Bond in 2018 and this is beginning to show results. Thisis money that goes to the counties and cities for implementation. My focus will be to make sure that the WLWSD area has access to, and takes the opportunity to, build affordable housing at higher densities near the urban cores of WL, Wilsonville, and Tualatin. This might include some creative options in the Stafford area near I-205, and will require close coordination with Councilor Lewis. The goal is to make sure that affordable “ramp up” housing options are available in a balanced manner. But it is important to realize that if high paying jobs come to Wilsonville or West Linn as a result of their economic development policies, there may be pressure to build more expensive homes and this will raise overall home prices. Some might argue that Metro should have an economic development “lens” but this is not part of its current authority.
Tom anderson
As you know Metro passed an affordable housing Bond that will build new affordable housing projects throughout the region. That Bond is starting to sprout new projects however, Clackamas County will receive the least amount of funding due to the ratio parameters of the Bond. The projects that will be moved forward will be identified by the County’s Housing Authority. Each jurisdiction must identify land parcels large enough to build apartment style units along with parking and setbacks. I am not sure why West Linn is behind in subsidized homes. It may have to do with the buildable land inventory. But the Bond is for the region not for individual cities.
The State has recently passed a measure that will relax zoning for building different types of housing in traditionally single family detached zoned areas. This should get some lower cost housing into areas needed to bring down the income gap. Metro can also look closely at expanding the Urban Growth Boundary in areas that will bring more equity as far as density and development.
Integration
The 2019 Housing Needs Analysis conducted for Clackamas County highlighted the unequal distribution of affordable housing in the region. At 449 subsidized homes, Wilsonville is between Oregon City (610) and Milwaukie (322). West Linn’s offering of 10 subsidized homes stands out as a low point.
3. What will you do at the state to combat segregation and ensure that neighborhoods and schools are racially and economically integrated?
Tom anderson
Metro can only adopt policies to create frameworks that encourage equitable hiring practices and engagement. For example, Metro can create safe Parks and trail systems that are welcomed destinations for people of color. Metro can develop transportation systems that will enable people to move freely between neighborhoods. As Metro Councilor I plan to support Metro’s “Strategic plan to advance racial equity, diversity and inclusion.” This plan is the lens that all planning and hiring will be looked through. Government is only one part of the equation that will also need the help of churches, schools, and business to step up and be accountable for racial inequities.
gerritt rosenthal
I support mixed and diverse neighborhoods. What I will do is strongly enforce and support the current Metro “equity” lens that guides most of the newer Metro programs, e.g. affordable housing, homelessness, and transportation. Through this, Metro can ensure that housing options prohibit discrimination and encourage both income and resident characteristic diversity. Unfortunately, Metro cannot make cities enforce their own nondiscrimination policies, except in programs from which they receive Metro funding or support. However, the collaborative nature of Metro’s outreach is such that it provides Council members with a “bully-pulpit” to make these issues are part of all land use, development, transportation, and open space conversations. In my district, diversity and integration issues are more concentrated in the Tigard, Tualatin and Beaverton areas.
I am open to further discussion and newer ideas on these subjects. Since I live in a rural area, and since each city has unique perspectives I am open to more detailed discussions of specific local problems.