Bend council candidates talk housing crunch at forum

The crisis over housing — both affordability and supply — dominated the area’s first debate of the fall campaign, as the Bend Chamber hosted a forum Tuesday evening between four Bend City Council candidates.

The after-hours event included City Councilor Sally Russell and her challenger, Wade Fagen, along with Bruce Abernethy, who is running unopposed for a return to the council, and Justin Livingston, who faces Ron Boozell for an open seat. Boozell did not appear at the event.

The forum didn’t offer much of a clash between the four candidates. Even though they have a variety of opinions on the city’s big issues, there were no real sharp divisions or confrontations.

At a glance, you might have thought it was just another party in the Deschutes Brewery Tap Room. There were candidates mingling with citizens with beers in their hands.

But when the forum started, the mood shifted to a more serious tone.

The hottest topic of the night was the housing crunch, and lack of affordable housing. No one had any magic answers to address the issue, and they do agree there is a problem.

Russell said the city is already tackling the challenge.

“The planning department or actually under construction we have 2,000 multi-family housing units,” she said. “So we are beginning to make a really big dent. But first you have to make policy and shift this huge freight liner, and we are doing that right now — it’s happening.”

Former Bend mayor and council candidate Bruce Abernethy said for the housing picture to improve, there will have to be some trade-offs.

“If you want something different, you’re going to have to do something different,” he said. “My stance is trying to either increase the supply of buildable land or allow more units on particular lots.”

Wade Fagen, a fourth-generation Bend native, said he wants to see the livability of Bend preserved — but he also thinks blaming Californians is wrong.

“One thing I can’t stand is bigots,” Fagen said.

Justin Livingston pointed to the negative impacts of the housing crisis from an economic perspective.

“Skyrocketing cost of housing, businesses are having a tough time attracting and retaining employees that are currently being priced out of their market,” he said.

Some of the other issues discussed include tourism, Mirror Pond and the failed gas tax.

The next city council debate, featuring incumbent Doug Knight and his challenger, Bill Moseley, will take place at the Deschutes Brewery Tap Room on Sept. 19. Details at: http://business.bendchamber.org/events/details/what-s-brewing-election-series-part-2-city-council-debate-3766

The series continues next month as the two candidates for Deschutes County sheriff face off on Oct. 4 and two Deschutes County Commission candidates a week later.