We loved this sticker from Mayor Kebler’s reelection campaign:
Mayor Kebler has been leading on housing since first being elected to city council six years ago, and we are proud to support her reelection as Mayor of Bend.
One achievement stands out: rents have flattened thanks to the new homes being built. In inflation adjusted terms, rents have fallen in Bend Oregon. This is what happens when supply catches up to housing demand.
Some people didn’t think that was possible – that new apartments would just attract people from elsewhere and rents would continue to climb. But it worked, and that’s a big win for many people, to not see their rents climbing rapidly every year. The same approach has also worked in places as different as Austin, Texas, Denver, Colorado – and Asheville, North Carolina – a city similar to Bend in many ways.
As housing advocates, we focus a lot on specific policies and projects, but when you elect someone who leads on housing, that’s a huge win, because they will continue working to get better policies, and will support the kinds of home building we need in Bend. As members of YIMBY Action, we talk with pro-housing folks across the country to learn about what’s happening elsewhere. One thing we see, is that while it’s good to have elected officials that you can convince to vote the right way, it is even better to get someone like Mayor Kebler, who will lead the charge on new policies.
You can support her campaign here: https://melaniekebler.com/
