Housing Voices

Housing Voices podcast hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford speak with Cassie Wilson, Legislative Manager at 1000 Friends of Oregon, about the critical shortage of accessible housing in Oregon. Wilson, who lives with a disability, shares her personal experiences navigating inaccessible apartments and her recent move to a fully accessible unit, highlighting the vast gap between housing supply and need for disabled residents. Only 6% of US housing is accessible while 26% of people have disabilities Oregon has just one accessible unit for every 66 residents who need one Current federal requirements mandate only 2% of units in large buildings be accessible - a standard set when disabled people were institutionalized Accessible units cost only 2.5% more to build but provide essential features like proper counter heights and turning radius space Disabled renters often pay higher rents for larger accessible units while still facing barriers like unreachable appliances and inaccessible entrances Property managers frequently lack knowledge about which units are accessible, making apartment hunting difficult Tenants must pay for accessibility modifications like grab bars and their future removal Ground floor accessible units are rare despite obvious safety and convenience benefits Emergency evacuation plans often fail to accommodate mobility device users in multi-story buildings Resources mentioned: 1000 Friends of Oregon (friends.org), Senator Patterson's accessible housing legislation, National League of Cities disability statistics, Oregon legislative session bills on accessible housing requirements. Chapters (00:00:00) - Getting it out of Housing(00:00:24) - Disability Voices on Housing(00:02:00) - Disabled People on Accessible Housing(00:08:12) - Cassie from Oregon on Climate Advocacy(00:13:26) - Oregon Accessible Housing for People with Disabilities(00:16:18) - Questions for Disabled Renters(00:18:17) - Does Accessible Housing Cost More?(00:21:42) - How behind do we think we are in accessibility?(00:24:39) - Oregon lawmakers talk accessibility in housing(00:27:10) - What kind of community resistance do you find in your work on disability(00:31:13) - Questions About Accessible Apartment Housing(00:34:59) - When I Vacant My Apartment, I Listed My Needs(00:42:27) - What Is The Accessibility Requirement For Renters?(00:45:23) - Sen. Pat Patterson on accessibility in Oregon housing(00:50:14) - Sen. Amy Klobic on accessibility for housing(00:53:35) - Where to Find Accessible Housing(00:56:14) - Sen. Pat Patterson on accessible housing(01:00:04) - Housing Voices: Where People, Policy and Solutions Meet

Housing Voices hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford interview Misha Marie and Abby Guzman, Director and Assistant Director of programs at the ARC of Benton County, who support and advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The conversation explores the complex housing challenges faced by people with IDD and the limited options available to them in today's expensive housing market. Key topics discussed: Definition of intellectual and developmental disabilities and the gap between those who need services versus those who qualify Housing options for people with IDD: family homes, group homes, foster homes, and supported living Financial constraints with SSI providing only around $1,000/month while rent approaches $2,000 The burden of federal recertification requirements for lifelong disabilities Creative housing solutions like co-housing models that face regulatory barriers Federal restrictions on "congregate housing" that limit housing choices for people with disabilities The importance of including people with disabilities in housing decisions ("nothing about us without us") Success stories and ongoing challenges with homelessness in the IDD community Resources and organizations mentioned: The ARC of Benton County Jackson Street services Julian apartments Social Security Administration (SSI benefits) Medicaid services County DD services National ARC conventions Chapters (00:00:00) - Housing Voices for People with Intellectual and Developmental disabilities(00:01:58) - An introduction to the ARC of Benton County(00:04:25) - What It Means to Have a Developmentally Disabled Person(00:06:36) - People with a developmental disability in Benton County(00:09:09) - Developmental Disabilities and Housing(00:16:12) - What is Recertification for People with Developmental Disabilities?(00:20:23) - Benton County supports people with disabilities with housing(00:30:29) - Opposition to Co-Housing for Individuals With IDD or(00:36:03) - Multiple Disabilities in Housing(00:42:51) - Representatives from the developmental disabilities community speak out on issues(00:46:00) - What would you like leaders to understand differently about housing for people with(00:51:54) - The issue of housing for people with disabilities in Oregon(00:54:18) - Housing Voices: A Place for Real Solutions

Housing Voices podcast hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford interview Oregon Representative David Gomberg about the intersection of housing, infrastructure, and legislative budget challenges. Rep. Gomberg, who serves on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and represents coastal Oregon's House District 10, discusses the complex decisions facing lawmakers as they balance housing needs with infrastructure investments amid significant budget shortfalls. Oregon faces a $700 million budget shortfall due to federal tax changes and reduced federal funding Small coastal towns struggle with infrastructure needs - Siletz (1,100 people) has a $12 million sewer problem One-third of coastal housing stock consists of vacation homes and short-term rentals, reducing available housing The state invested $500 million in housing initiatives but hasn't met ambitious production goals Legislature funded 50 critical water infrastructure projects with $100 million in lottery funds, but 150+ projects remain on the waiting list One-fifth of coastal students are categorized as homeless, often couch-surfing or in unstable housing Budget cuts of 2-10% are being considered for housing programs that didn't exist five years ago Property tax incentives for affordable housing development create tension with funding community services Urban growth boundary expansions compete with protecting Oregon's farmland and forests Resources mentioned: SB 1537 (Governor's housing production bill), SB 1599 (tax disconnection bill), Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPLO), senior property tax deferral program, League of Oregon Cities infrastructure needs list, Legislative Fiscal Office revenue projections Chapters (00:00:00) - Housing and Infrastructure on EWTN News Nightly(00:01:46) - Housing Voices(00:03:37) - Local issues of importance(00:07:34) - Oregon Senate Question: Infrastructure Funding(00:12:41) - Oregon Lottery funding, and how reliable is it?(00:20:30) - Local perspectives on housing issues(00:30:49) - Oregon lawmaker on taxes and revenue reform(00:39:27) - Top 10 Questions for Oregonians(00:41:33) - How to reach out to your legislator in the upcoming year(00:48:23) - Housing Voices: On Issues and Solutions

Housing Voices is a new podcast hosted by Bre Irish (former legislative aide with Senator Wyden) and Marty Fulford (experienced real estate broker and housing advocate) that tackles Oregon's housing crisis through structured conversation and practical solutions. With Oregon ranking 45th nationally in housing production and falling short of the state's 36,000 units per year target, the hosts aim to move beyond fragmented arguments to create a comprehensive framework for understanding housing as an interconnected ecosystem. Eight-bucket framework covering legislative/finance, climate/environment, workforce, development/infrastructure, mental health/homelessness, and seniors/disabilities Real stories like a retired teacher surviving on $1,266/month Social Security struggling with housing accessibility Interview structure focusing on reality, constraints, hard questions, and actionable solutions Community-driven approach encouraging citizen engagement in local housing discussions Call to action for listeners to start conversations about housing challenges in their communities Focus on how housing affects everything from workforce retention to school funding to childhood development Emphasis on moving from identifying problems to implementing practical solutions Resources mentioned: Benton County Planning Commission, Regional Housing Subcommittee, housingvoices.com, partners Marty Bulford.com and Signet.net Chapters (00:00:00) - The need for affordable housing(00:00:58) - Housing Voices: An Argument for More Homes(00:02:47) - 8 Big Things the GOP Focus on(00:04:10) - Seniors on Social Security and Housing(00:07:27) - Housing Voices(00:12:15) - A Call to Action on Housing(00:17:42) - Housing Voices: What More is Needed?