fbpx
Donate Newsletters
Home » Housing + Cities » Abundant Housing Requires Abundant Democracy

Abundant Housing Requires Abundant Democracy

Candace Avalos (Verde Portland, Neighbors Welcome board member), Jeannette Lee (Sightline Institute), and moderator Alex Zielinski (Portland Mercury) discuss electoral reforms in Alaska and Portland, and their potential to affect housing policy.

Jeannette Lee, of Sightline Institute; Candace Avalos, of Verde Portland and Neighbors Welcome; and moderator Alex Zielinski, of the Portland Mercury, during the audience Q&A on democracy and housing abundance (screenshot from video of session).
Jeannette Lee, of Sightline Institute; Candace Avalos, of Verde Portland and Neighbors Welcome; and moderator Alex Zielinski, of the Portland Mercury, during the audience Q&A on democracy and housing abundance (screenshot from video of session).

Sightline Editor

Sightline Editor

April 12, 2022

This article is part of the series YIMBYtown 2022

The conversation shared below was part of the YIMBYtown 2022 conference, cohosted by Sightline Institute and Portland: Neighbors Welcome.*

Who decides what housing gets built, and for whom? How do our electoral systems intersect with housing policy at the local and state levels? This panel included Verde’s Candace Avalos, board member for Portland: Neighbors Welcome who also serves on Portland’s Charter Commission; and Jeannette Lee, a researcher with Sightline Institute who covers Democracy and Housing from Anchorage, Alaska. Alex Zielinski of the Portland Mercury moderated the panel.

Lee discussed how changes to electoral systems in Alaska can create a more favorable environment for helping to increase the supply of attainable housing in neighborhoods with great amenities like schools, trails, and restaurants. Avalos described how Portland charter reforms can make the city’s housing policy more responsive to the needs of renters and low-income residents.

*YIMBYtown 2022 occurred April 11–13 in Portland, Oregon, the fourth annual gathering (after some COVID delays) of “Yes in My Back Yard” (YIMBY) community leaders, organizers, planners, policymakers, educators, and housing providers eager to share resources and strategies for building more affordable, sustainable, and equitable communities.

Talk to the Author

Sightline Editor

Talk to the Author

Sightline Editor

Sightline Institute equips the Northwest’s citizens and decision-makers with the policy research and practical tools they need to advance long-term solutions to our region’s most significant challenges.

About Sightline

Sightline Institute is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank providing leading original analysis of democracy, forests, energy, and housing policy in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, British Columbia, and beyond.

For press inquiries and interview requests, please contact Martina Pansze.

Sightline Institute is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and does not support, endorse, or oppose any candidate or political party.

You can power us forward on sustainable solutions.

See an error? Have a question?

Find the author's contact information on our staff page to reach out to them, or send a message to editor@sightline.org.