Where did $400M in Oregon homelessness funding go?
At least 14,600 people are experiencing homelessness across Oregon, and there isn’t enough affordable housing to address the tens of thousands of residents at risk of joining them. Oregon lawmakers and Gov. Tina Kotek have responded this year by pushing through more funding and initiatives. This isn’t the first time that’s happened. During the 2022 legislative session, Oregon Democrats introduced a $400 million proposal that Oregon Housing and Community Services director Andrea Bell called a catalyst for a larger set of initiatives. That money increased shelter bed capacity by 530 beds and provided grant money to help 25,000 low-income Oregonians regain stability. It also bolstered investments that prevented 8,900 tenants from being evicted. Here’s a look at where else that money went. (Dianne Lugo/Salem Statesman Journal)
Bend launches program to propel e-biking in the city
On Monday, the city of Bend launched a program to make e-biking more affordable. E-bikes typically cost thousands of dollars, but now the city is accepting applications for rebates to help low-income residents purchase e-bikes. Seventy-five households will receive up to $2,000 each. Only customers of Pacific Power are eligible to apply. The utility company and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality are funding the grants to promote electric mobility options. The first lottery to decide some of the Bend e-bike winners will be April 17, with more taking place in May (Joni Auden Land/OPB)
Oregon jingle dancer Acosia Red Elk is off to a busy year
Acosia Red Elk, a champion powwow dancer from Mission, has already had a busy year, participating in an art project and performing at the Super Bowl. A Umatilla tribal member, she’s a self-taught jingle dancer who has won numerous dancing titles at the Gathering of Nations. She recently joined Indigenous Enterprise in Phoenix, an intertribal, six-member collective of championship powwow dancers that frequently performs at sporting events. This year, she also participated in the “We Are the Land” public art project in Portland, where her mural-sized portrait graces a wall at the Oregon Museum of Science and industry. That project, she said, “was about visibility and reclaiming spaces. Art sends powerful messages. Visual art is like a tattoo in our minds.” (John Tillman/East Oregonian)
US Interior secretary visits Oregon, touting new initiatives
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said last week the federal government will fund several initiatives in Oregon to promote outdoor recreation and its relationship to tourism development. During a visit to Bend on a three-day tour of Oregon, Haaland touted those efforts, including a $45 million project to rehabilitate sections of the East Rim Drive at Crater Lake National Park and $21 million to help reduce the risk of wildfires. Haaland, who is Native American and a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe, also met with several tribal leaders around the state. She said the Biden administration is “bringing more tribes to the table” to get their input, and noted that several clean water projects on reservations across the country are getting funded through the federal infrastructure bill. “It is a game-changer in many ways,” she said. (Bend Bulletin and Rogue Valley Times)
Federal rules may increase fees for guest workers vital to agriculture
It may soon get more expensive to bring guest workers into the United States. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has proposed a rule that would significantly increase filing fees for H-2A and H-2B petitions — in some cases, by more than double. USCIS officials proposed the fee hike to cover internal expenses. They said the agency’s costs have recently spiked due to staffing costs, increased asylum claims, longer processing times and expanded humanitarian programs. Critics say the proposed fees are unfair and would disproportionately hurt small businesses. In recent years, farm employers have relied more on guestworker programs as a source of reliable labor. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of workers certified through the H-2A program increased by 86%, according to Department of Labor data. (Sierra Dawn McClain/Capital Press)
Seeking a new caretaker for the historic Jantzen Beach carousel
The 82 horses of the Janzen Beach merry-go-round were a beloved Portland icon for decades starting in the early 20th century. Now, after 11 years stabled in a North Portland warehouse, the carousel’s handlers are looking for a new caretaker. Restore Oregon staff are hoping to find a new owner by Sept. 15 — and say that finding a new owner who will preserve and maintain the carousel is a key priority. (Jason Vondersmith/Portland Tribune)
