PORTLAND, Ore. – Three Portland city councilors are headed overseas this week on a taxpayer-funded trip to Vienna, Austria, where they’ll study one of the most renowned social housing systems in the world. While the trip has sparked criticism from some residents, city leaders argue it’s an investment in finding solutions to Portland’s housing crisis.
Who’s Going and Why
Councilors Candace Avalos, Jamie Dunphy, and Mitch Green, along with their chiefs of staff and three staffers from the Portland Housing Bureau, are among the roughly 20 people making the journey. Other non-city employees are also joining the delegation.
The purpose: to examine Vienna’s social housing model, where 60% of the population lives in publicly owned or nonprofit-run housing. Unlike in Portland, rents there are tied to affordability, not market demand.
“They are known worldwide for their social housing,” Avalos said Tuesday. “This is an opportunity for us to see it in person, talk to the leaders, and hear from residents about how it works. Reading about it on paper isn’t the same as experiencing it firsthand.”
The Cost Question
So far, Avalos and her office have not disclosed the full price tag of the trip. Asked about the cost, she said she did not know the figure, and her spokesperson declined to provide details…