2014 National Convening Skills Presenations Portland Plan | Page 70

THE PORTLAND PLAN Economic Prosperity and Affordability Element 6 Access to Housing A place to live is a basic human need. However, housing plays other roles too. Housing is an industry that provides living wage jobs: construction and maintenance, real estate, demolition and reuse of materials. Additionally, ownership opportunities in the housing market may open the doorway to economic prosperity for households. Guiding Policies Provide for the growing housing needs of the disabled and elderly P-37 through designing housing units to be more physically accessible, and locating more of this housing near neighborhood hubs and frequent transit service. Link housing to transportation at the local level by including housing P-38 strategies as part of planning major transit investments. Continue to expand access to affordable transportation options, P-39 including sidewalks, frequent service transit, bicycle networks, car and bike sharing, and other alternatives that allow households to function without a car or with one car. Develop corridor-specific housing strategies as a component of major transit investments. Link workforce training programs with subsidized housing to P-40 help people who are in stable environments access job skills training, increase their income, reduce their time spent in subsidized housing and free up units for those on the waiting list. To have equitable, quality and affordable housing options that meet the needs of all people, Portland needs a long-term housing strategy that considers current residents and neighborhood change. It requires a new approach that provides locations of new rental and home ownership housing in neighborhoods that already have good supports for the success of residents. It also requires collaboration among public, nonprofit and private partners. 64 April 2012 | www.pdxplan.com