Mayor Sam Adams has failed to do his job providing citizens with basic public data from the Housing Bureau making it impossible for them to credibly participate in the city budget exercise meetings to which they have been invited. Adams dismissed every individual request for change to the city lobbyist's agenda at a recent invitation for citizen input to city decision making. Sam Adams is "working hard" to make sure citizens don't get the information they need to make reasoned and defensible decisions.
Multnomah county public housing boss Sam Adams was aware that the Bureau of Housing was asked several weeks ago (See email below) for statistical data which was essential for citizens to make reasoned and defensible arguments at three citywide community budget forums scheduled for February 19, 21,24. Adams was also aware that BH didn't deliver. He did nothing.
This is the second time that Adams has demonstrated that he is more magician than mayor with his illusions of meaningful citizen participation. We are not clapping for these performances. If Sam Adams does not get his political act together very soon the audience will rightly ask him to leave the public policy stage.
Richard Ellmyer
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From: Richard Ellmyer
Subject: Request For Bureau Of Housing Statistical Data And Policy Positions
Date: February 4, 2009 11:34:17 AM PST
Cc: Sam Adams, Nick@ci.portland.or.us, amanda@ci.portland.or.us, amiller@ci.portland.or.us, amy.stephens@ci.portland.or.us, kate.allen@ci.portland.or.us, dora.perry@ci.portland.or.us
Hi Bureau of Housing Director William White:
In light of recent changes to the Bureau of Housing my readers will be interested in an update on its newly organized structure and policies.
Statistics
1. What is the current total budget for the Bureau of Housing including the newly acquired funds from the Portland Development Commission?
2. How much of the current total budget for the Bureau of Housing including the newly acquired funds from the Portland Development Commission is dedicated to PUBLIC Housing? (Public Housing = Means Test + Government Subsidy + Rental Agreement)
3. How much of the current total budget for the Bureau of Housing including the newly acquired funds from the Portland Development Commission is dedicated to Non Public Housing i.e. so-called Affordable housing?
4. What is the current total number of employees working for the Bureau of Housing including the newly acquired personnel from the Portland Development Commission?
5. How many of the current total number of employees working for the Bureau of Housing including the newly acquired personnel from the Portland Development Commission are assigned to programs involving PUBLIC Housing?
6. How many of the current total number of employees working for the Bureau of Housing including the newly acquired personnel from the Portland Development Commission are assigned to programs involving Non Public Housing i.e. so-called Affordable housing?
7. What percentage of Bureau of Housing employee's time is spent on the administration of PUBLIC Housing programs?
8. What percentage of Bureau of Housing employee's time is spent on the administration of Non Public Housing i.e. so-called Affordable housing programs?
9. What is the total number of PUBLIC Housing clients the Bureau of Housing is expected to serve in the current and next fiscal years?
10. What is the total number of Non Public Housing i.e. so-called Affordable housing clients the Bureau of Housing is expected to serve in the current and next fiscal years?
11. Please provide a tab delimited text file with the following Bureau of Housing statistical data:
A record for every PUBLIC Housing client that includes fields for age, gender, neighborhood, income and last modification date.
12. Please provide a dated copy of the Bureau of Housing request to the Housing Authority of Portland for the following public housing statistical data on a monthly basis:
Report #1. HAP Public Housing Program
A tab delimited text file with the following fields: 1. Age 2. Gender 3. Income 4. Neighborhood 5. Last Modification Date, for ALL clients in this database.
Report #2. HAP Section 8 Housing Voucher Program
A tab delimited text file with the following fields: 1. Age 2. Gender 3. Income 4. Neighborhood 5. Last Modification Date, for ALL clients in this database.
Report #3. New Columbia in North Portland's Portsmouth Neighborhood Program
A tab delimited text file with the following fields: 1. Age 2. Gender 3. Income 4. Neighborhood 5. Last Modification Date, for ALL HAP public housing clients (means test + government subsidy + rental agreement) living in New Columbia as of February 1, 2009.
Report #4. HAP Affordable Housing Program
A tab delimited text file, including the total number of public housing (means test + government subsidy + rental agreement) HAP clients living in all of HAP's 32 properties in Multnomah county as of February 1, 2009, with the following fields: 1. Age 2. Gender 3. Income 4. Neighborhood 5. Last Modification Date.
Policies
13. Does the Bureau of Housing now support a policy of Equitable Distribution of Public Housing or will it continue its support for UNLIMITED neighborhood concentration of public housing?
14. If the Bureau of Housing now supports a policy of Equitable Distribution of Public Housing does it understand that this policy cannot be credibly pursued without authentic, accurate, complete and timely public housing statistical data from every public jurisdiction that administers public housing programs in Multnomah county, namely, the city of Portland, Multnomah county, the Housing Authority of Portland and the state of Oregon?
15. If the Bureau of Housing now supports a policy of Equitable Distribution of Public Housing has it asked for authentic, accurate, complete and timely public housing statistical data from every public jurisdiction that administers public housing programs in Multnomah county, namely, the city of Portland, Multnomah county, the Housing Authority of Portland and the state of Oregon?
Thank you for your prompt response.
Richard Ellmyer