Lynn’s Accomplishments

Affordable Housing

Housing and homelessness is one of the most urgent challenges facing our region. Lynn is fighting to support our most vulnerable community members and to implement support to prevent crises. She is proud to have:

• Passed the supportive housing measure to end chronic homelessness by 2030
• In the first 9 months of the program will provide shelter beds for 900 people, connecting stability for 2400 people in permanent housing, new outreach teams connecting 2,000 people with mental health and housing.
• Passed Affordable Housing Bond measure which funded affordable housing units. Lynn is overseeing the construction of over 3000 homes including The Mary Ann, Findley Commons, Viewfinder, Rockwood Village, and Terrace Glen. In her next term, Lynn will continue to use Affordable Housing Bond funds to invest in homes for Portland area families.

Conservation and Accessible Greenspace

As Metro County President, Lynn is working to conserve our parks and make them accessible to everyone. She has successfully:

• Passed the region’s largest bond to protect clean air and water for the next 20 years
• Opened new nature parks at Chehalem Ridge and Newell Creek Canyon
• Began the master planning process for Willamette Cove
• Renovated Oxbow Regional Park with an emphasis on accessibility, including a new welcome center
• Funded grant programs to increase access to nature for historically disenfranchised communities

Working Families

Lynn believes that all workers deserve a living wage, safe working conditions, and rest and meal breaks. When workers are treated with respect and given opportunities to learn and grow, our entire community benefits. As Metro County President, Lynn has:

• Ensured all Metro staff earn a living wage including new instituted minimum wage of $20/hour
• Developed the Construction Career Pathway Program which extends new training opportunities to workers and expands the workforce.

Equity and Opportunity

Lynn understands that creating a more equitable Portland means disrupting the status quo and demanding better. She is using her privilege to fight for a reality that matches our ideals. She has:

• Supported the growth of the Construction Career Pathway Program which provides training opportunities, workforce quotas, and fights onsite harassment to make construction careers more accessible to women and people of color.
• Initiated the Social Innovation Director position at Metro focused on matchmaking philanthropy, private grants and other government agency grants to the stated needs of BIPOC community members and CBOs.  Many of the needs from our community organizations cannot be covered directly using Metro revenue sources. This position is  used to identify other revenue sources that can support and help fill the needs of culturally specific community organizations.
• Called for and hired the first Tribal Liaison at Metro to ensure that all tribes are represented in the decision making process.
• Used the Rose Quarter and I5BRP Projects to create generational wealth previously stolen from Black families in the Albina Corridor.
• Approached large investment projects like the Affordable Housing Bond Measure, Parks Bond Measure, Supportive Housing Service Measure and Transportation Bond Measure  with a racial equity lens. These projects were the first regional measures in the country to explicitly incorporate a racial equity lens into the ballot measure language.

Transportation and Infrastructure Investments

Lynn understands that part of creating an equitable, accessible, and affordable metro area is investing in transportation so that people can get where they need to go safely. Her transportation accomplishments include large, sustainable, equitable projects including the I-5 Bridge, I-205, 82nd Ave, Rose Quarter.