December 4, 2024 10:50 a.m. 

On Tuesday, Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham said Governor Kotek’s housing plan is doubling down on failure.

A GOP release said the proposed budget lacks a bold vision to address Oregon’s worsening housing crisis and highlights her administration’s failure to meet its own housing production goals.

Bonham said, “When Governor Kotek took office, she set an ambitious goal of building 36,000 housing units per year to address Oregon’s severe housing shortage”. Bonham said, “Yet the latest report shows that only 18,000 units were built in 2023 – less than half of her target and even fewer than the 20,000 units built in 2022. This failure reflects the shortcomings of the policies she continues to champion”.

Bonham said Oregonians deserve the American Dream – a future where families can afford single-family homes, not just government-subsidized apartments or high-density high-rises built by politically connected nonprofits.

Bonham said, “Under Governor Kotek’s leadership, housing policies have been largely driven by bureaucracy and ideology, prioritizing government-subsidized projects over real solutions to increase supply, reduce costs and empower working families”. Bonham said, “Her new budget doubles down on the same failed strategies that have left Oregonians behind. It’s time for a new vision – one that focuses on affordability, homeownership, and economic opportunity for all”.

The release said Senate Republicans are committed to delivering a housing policy that works for every Oregonian. This means focusing on increasing housing supply across the spectrum, reducing regulatory burdens that drive up costs, and addressing the skyrocketing energy prices that make it harder to build and maintain homes.

Bonham said, “Oregonians don’t need more empty promises or half-measures. They need real solutions to bring housing within reach. Senate Republicans will continue to fight for policies that deliver the American Dream for Oregonians”.