Newsletter: Housing Funds, PCEF, Inner Eastside for All

Label:News Article

Newsletter sent on March 11, 2026

Weekly Updates

Dear Neighbors,

As many of you have probably noticed, there's been a lot of confusion - both in the press, and within city hall - about just how much unspent money there is inside the Portland Housing Bureau. First, we heard it was $21 million. Then it was $40 million. Some reporting now puts it at a whopping $106 million. Where did it come from? How can it be used? No one could seem to tell me, so I had my staff dig into the numbers and produce a one-page documentthat provides a comprehensive accounting of these funds, as well as some guidance for how they can (and should) be used. One of the ways I'd like to see these funds used is for something called rent buydowns. I made a whole video on this topic you can watch here:

• Rent buydowns video on YouTube
• Rent buydowns video on Instagram

It's my hope that all of this information will help council make an informed decision about the use of these critical one-time dollars and put us on track to get this money out the door as quickly as possible.

Inner Eastside for All Resolution

Portland needs more housing, and we need a diverse range of housing, but we're in a fiscal jam. Inner Eastside for All is a really smart to way unlock the kind of development we want to see without costing the city a dime.

This week, I'm bringing forward with Councilors Morillo and Avalos our Inner Eastside for All Resolution to the Climate, Resilience, and Land Use Committee on Thursday, March 12th. This measure would re-legalize the development of street-scale apartment buildings between 12^th and 60^th from NE Fremont to SE Powell. There are a lot of reasons to get behind this excellent piece of legislation, not the least of which is that it was developed along with the amazing coalition that is Portland: Neighbors Welcome.

Submit Testimony

Safeguarding PCEF

The Portland Clean Energy Fund is, in my humble opinion, one of the single best pieces of legislation Portland has ever created. It uses a small tax on the very wealthiest corporations operating here to fund projects that reduce carbon emissions and create economic opportunities for historically underserved communities. It's kind of like a mini Green New Deal. So, I was pretty surprised to find a proposal to use $30 million of those dollars for "Office to Residential Conversions" lurking in the latest Climate Investment Plan (CIP).

This proposal would see PCEF funds used to convert downtown office space into rental housing for the benefit of a few wealthy downtown developers. Not only is this out of alignment with the stated goals of PCEF, but these sorts of conversions can be one of the most expensive ways we have to create new housing. When I flagged this section of the CIP amendment for the full council, it turned out most of my colleagues saw things the same way and we got rid of it. If we're going to use PCEF to support housing development, we should do so in a way that generates as much housing as possible per dollar as transit-oriented development, with PCEF's priority populations in mind.

And I'm really glad we did, because there's another dynamic at play here. These conversion projects bypassed a full public process before its pilot began. If we allow PCEF dollars to go to pet projects (especially projects as non-aligned as this one was), we risk opening the door for all sorts of uses of that fund that could very well end up aggravating the very issues PCEF was designed to address. Stay tuned for more on this topic soon.

Multnomah Safe Rest Village

This week I met with the wonderful folks at SW Outreach, a group of volunteers who are deeply committed to improving outcomes for our unhoused neighbors. Of the many fantastic ideas that they had to offer, I was particularly struck by their suggestion that the city pursue a more democratic model when it comes to organizing shelters. They pointed to examples of self-governed villages like Hazelnut Grove, Dignity Village, and Right 2 Dream Too as models for how to maintain safety, cleanliness, and excellent neighborhood relations. I have to say, it makes a lot of sense. When people have a sense of ownership and belonging, is it any surprise that they take better care of their space, and of each other? Our meeting was such a good reminder that as we continue to look for ways to improve outcomes at sites like the Multnomah Safe Rest Village, we absolutely must listen to those with lived experience.

SW Outreach runs a sorely needed mobile shower program on a purely volunteer basis, and they could use your help. Reach out to them on Instagram if you'd like to donate or get involved.

Councilor Green, his staff, and volunteers of SW Outreach

Council and Committee Meetings with Councilor Green

City Council Meeting

City Council holds regular meetings at 9:30 a.m. on the first, second, fourth and fifth Wednesday and 6:00 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. If there is sufficient business, additional meetings are held the following Thursday at 2:00 p.m.

New Committee Meetings

Starting in April 2026, City Council will have five committees:

1. Community and Public Safety,
2. City Life,
3. Housing and Permitting,
4. Public Works, and
5. Committee of the Whole

Councilor Green's committees are: Public Works, Housing, and Committee of the Whole. We hope to see you there.

Upcoming Meetings

Councilor Green In the News

Portland City Council Holds Series of Budget Work Sessions

ICYMI: City Council Creates New Committee Structure- Willamette Week

Portland eyes unspent housing funds to fill empty affordable housing units - oregonlive.com- Oregon Live

Portland City Council weighs how to use $20.7M in unbudgeted housing funds- KATU Portland

Portland Leaders Mull Two New Fees to Fund Street Maintenance- Willamette Week

Community Events

Mundo de Las Mujeres 2026:March 11 - March 21

Everybody Reads 2026: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson: March 12

Shamrock Run Fest:March 15

From the Collection: Prints by Black Artists:Every Tuesday-Sunday, through April 27

"We Were All Living a Dream": Reflections on Twentieth-Century Lesbian Feminism through the Photography of Donna Pollach:April 4, 2025 - March 29, 2026

XRchive: (Hi)stories and Visions of Block 14 at Lone Fir Cemetery:Every Thursday-Sunday

Northwest Youth Careers Expo: March 17, 2026

Instagram @councilormitchgreen

Bluesky @councilorgreen.bsky.social

YouTube @CouncilorGreenComms

Website portland.gov

Email [email protected]