YVYV: Addressing Oregon's homelessness crisis with HB 2001 & HB 5019

PORTLAND, Ore. — One of the toughest problems facing this state is how to solve Oregon’s housing and homelessness crisis.

As we all know, there are no easy answers.

There is hope that a major housing package, passed in the Oregon house this past week, will make a notable difference.

The $200 million ‘Affordable Housing and Emergency Homelessness Response Package' passed with bipartisan support.

However, it has its critics. The bill is now in the hands of the state senate.

House Bill 2001 and House Bill 5019 are the two bills that make up the package.

It includes:

• Funding for the governor's homelessness state of emergency
• Building affording housing and the tools and strategies for doing that
• Investing in rural and coastal communities
• Preventing evictions
• Providing critical support for homeless youth
• Ramping up production of affordable modular housing made in Oregon

All house Democrats and more than half of House Republicans supported it.

On today's program, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle weighing in.

We begin with two Democrats who played a key role in passing the legislation.

The interview took place on Thursday, one day after the House vote.

With me now, Democratic representatives Maxine Dexter, Chair of the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness, and David Gomberg, co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.