Vote NO on Measure 26-253
“At a time when the city needs to attract and retain investment so the city doesn’t sink into an even deeper affordability crisis, the last thing we need is to slap a hefty bill on every old building in the city. Vote no.” ~Willamette Week
Measure 26-253 would allow city government to require you to make expensive energy efficiency upgrades to your home on their timeline.
Regardless of the cost.
PORTLAND SHOULD INCENTIVIZE COSTLY ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES, NOT MANDATE THEM
Let’s be clear: Increasing the energy efficiency of our homes and workplaces is important in the fight against climate change.
And the City can and should support incentives and tools to reduce costs for everyday Portlanders, like low-interest loans or by using the millions of dollars in the Portland Clean Energy Fund, paid for by a tax on billion-dollar companies.
Measure 26-253 has no incentives or subsidies for these expensive upgrades. Measure 26-253 has no protections for renters or low-income homeowners.
Vote NO on Measure 26-253 to reject costly mandates.
MEASURE 26-253 IS EXPENSIVE FOR PORTLAND’S HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES
If Measure 26-253 passes, city government could require all homeowners and property owners to install solar panels, to replace appliances or windows, to add insulation, or change the way you heat and cool your home or office.
These costly mandates could apply to more than 140,000 Portland houses, apartment buildings, stores and offices — approximately 71% of homes and buildings in Portland.
And it’s on the ballot at the request of a few city bureaucrats, who have already signaled their intent,
telling the Portland Charter Commission that “deep decarbonization – can’t be achieved without strong mandates.”
Measure 26-253 will increase the cost of housing. Expensive new mandates will make housing less affordable for renters, by increasing landlords’ costs.
And costly mandates will unfairly burden homeowners, including lower-income homeowners and seniors on fixed incomes, putting them all at risk of losing their homes.