LOC News
LOC Attends White House Roundtable on Affordable Housing
The LOC has been working hard to expand its legislative footprint at the local, state and federal level. Our consistent presence in our nation’s capital is putting the League and the state of Oregon on the radar for increased levels of federal involvement.
In order to truly be successful in our effort to improve conditions and create opportunities for all Oregon cities, it is imperative that we have a strong relationship with the administration in Washington. Federal funding is critical to helping our long term infrastructure needs, and the LOC needs to be top-of-mind as federal monies are allocated for projects.
To that end, the LOC was honored to receive an invitation to attend a critical White House roundtable this week, hosted by Housing Secretary Ben Carson. This invitation was extended to only a handful of leaders around the country, so this was an important step for your League and its representatives.
On June 25, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the “White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing.” To continue the work of the council, the White House is convened a small group of local elected officials to share ideas, suggestions, strategies, and perspective on reducing regulatory barriers to affordable housing development. The roundtable on housing affordability was designed specifically to garner input from localities and discuss the unique challenges they face as local elected leaders.
Incoming LOC Vice President Keith Mays, the mayor of Sherwood, had the honor of attending this assembly to represent Oregon. Mayor Mays was able to provide a valuable perspective and input from our point of view, and for all intents and purposes, his attendance showed Oregon’s commitment to having a seat at the table.
To our knowledge, this is one of the first times the administration has reached directly to your League for its input and participation in matters of tremendous significance to Oregon and the country.
We thank and congratulate our representative, Sherwood Mayor Keith Mays, for his willingness to carry our message forward to Housing Secretary Ben Carson.
Last Updated 11-15-19