Tom Brenneke wants Portland area residents to understand that government-supported affordable housing projects will not end homelessness.
Brenneke is not a conservative anti-tax activist. In fact, he is an affordable housing developer, the president of Guardian Real Estate, which is completing two projects in Portland.
Tiller Terrace is a six-story housing project at 1670 SW Alder St. with 214 units, all of which are priced to be affordable to households earning 60% of the area median income.
Slabtown Square is a market-rate project at 2070 NW Quimby St. with 200 units, 40 of which are priced to be affordable to households earning 80% of the AMI.
“These projects fill a vital need. They provide housing in the city to low-wage workers. But they will not solve the homeless crisis,” Brenneke told the Portland Tribune during a recent tour of Tiller Terrace.
Brenneke suggests that many Portland area residents are confused about this because of the way the homeless crisis and affordable housing projects are frequently covered by the media. He thinks stories about the affordable housing projects funded by Portland and Metro voters are especially unintentionally misleading, in part because a limited number of their units are reserved for those who need social services — including addiction and mental health treatment — to remain housed. Much of the service funds are provided by the Supportive Housing Services measure approved by Metro voters.