Lynn’s Priorities

Addressing the housing and homelessness crisis

Rising housing prices, stagnating wages, and the economic pressures COVID-19 has put on Oregon families have led to an affordable housing and homelessness crisis. Lynn believes that housing is a human right. She is fighting as Metro Council President to do her part to ensure that every family has access to a safe place to live. Lynn has successfully implemented the Affordable Housing Bond Measure of 2018 and the Supportive Housing Services Measure of 2020 which provide funding for housing access across greater Portland. Because she understands the urgency of this crisis for Portland area families, Lynn is integrally involved in monitoring the Supportive Housing Services measure to ensure that counties are living up to their racial equity promises. As a leader in the metro government, Lynn is also ensuring that we will be ready for the next Affordable Housing Bond Measure.

Addressing the homelessness crisis means targeting economic disparities at their root. Lynn is committed to approaching all decisions with a racial equity lense. She will reallocate Metro resources to advance racial equity. She will continue to create and support welcoming services, programs, and destinations to give our most vulnerable neighbors the help they need. Lynn is currently working with the Metro Policy Advisory Committee (MPAC) to address the economic factors contributing to homelessness in our area.

Taking on the impacts of the climate crisis

The resiliency of all Oregon communities, from urban to rural, from agriculture to timber, as well as the natural habitats we must preserve, are threatened by the climate crisis. Lynn is horrified by the impacts of the crisis we face: of fires just outside the UGB, on the health of seniors and kids, at the lack of water in the Willamette Valley, and by the fact that BIPOC communities are disproportionately impacted at every level due to the legacies of oppression and inequality in our state.

As Metro President, Lynn has stood up for environmental sustainability and equity: from regional parks and open space measures, to working with city partners and developers to make sure funds from the 2018 Affordable Housing Bond measure provide safe, clean options for housing, with access to transit and services, in and around the region. She understands the urgency of protecting urban and wildlife spaces from wildfires and is working with Metro’s Emergency Management team to make sure we are prepared.

The climate crisis is a global issue, but Lynn knows it is the responsibility of governments on every level to play a part in solving it. She is an advocate for waste and pollution reduction by increasing access to recycling, composting, and safe transportation for everyone. Lynn understands the complexity and urgency of the climate crisis. She will prioritize strategies that reduce our impact while supporting the communities that need it the most.

Equitable Economic Recovery

Using a conscious racial equity lens to approach all projects is one of Lynn’s central priorities. In this extended period of hardship, as she supports the Metro Area’s economic recovery, Lynn is focused on lifting up the most marginalized members of our community. She is working with BIPOC Community Based Organizations to increase access to workforce training, educational opportunities, affordable and easily accessible daycare, affordable housing and transportation. She will ensure that Metro continues our commitment to improve access and increase the capacity for CBOs to participate in decision-making. And she will continue our commitment to Building Back Better internally at Metro by setting a new “minimum wage” at $20/hr to combat the region’s affordability problem. Lynn’s promise as a leader is to approach each new challenge with a goal of reshaping the unequal system she is working from within.

Transportation and Infrastructure Investments

Lynn believes that the purpose of public transportation infrastructure is to serve people, not vehicles, accessing work, health care, education, and shopping. She understands that investments in safe, easily accessible, efficient, and affordable public transportation are investments in equity.

She also believes that transportation investments can be used as an important tool for environmental progress. By increasing access to high capacity, frequent transit service, and taking steps to make it safer to walk and bike while requiring people to pay for the use of their fossil fuel vehicles, we can financially incentivize environmentally sustainable behavior without negatively impacting citizen’s mobility.

Lynn will continue to support investments in transportation infrastructure to improve the safety, sustainability, and equity of our community.