Oregon U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley wants to help solve the affordable housing crisis. He was in Eugene Wednesday.
Merkley says more people are moving to Oregon than to other U.S. states. And that contributes to a housing shortage here.
Merkley says he’s secured about 30 million dollars in hardest hit funds for Oregon. But he says we need better programs.
“This challenge in affordable housing is a reflection of the polarization of our economy where we have a few people doing very well at the top but good-paying jobs to support the regular costs of living, if you will, in our society, those good-paying jobs are diminishing.”
Meanwhile, rents are going up. Merkley says the affordable housing crisis hurts children the most. They need stability to thrive. The Senator met with elected leaders and affordable housing providers, including St. Vincent de Paul, at one of their apartment complexes in Eugene.
