Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler joins other mayors in D.C. to lobby lawmakers, administration on homelessness, housing

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Earlier this week, Bend Mayor Melanie Melanie Kebler traveled to Washington D.C., with the U.S. Conference of Mayors Homelessness Task Force to lobby federal officials and representatives on the issues of homelessness and housing, led by Los Angeles Mayor and former Congresswoman Karen Bass.

The bipartisan group of nearly 50 mayors spoke with Biden Administration officials and influential members of Congress about the need for more federal support for solutions to homelessness, including increasing the number of housing choice vouchers, providing more project-based vouchers to build supportive housing, and reducing barriers to affordable housing for homeless veterans, according to a city news release, which continues in full below:

Facts on the ground in Central Oregon show that housing choice vouchers are incredibly important to help people get into housing or remain housed.

Mayor Kebler communicated directly with federal officials and congressional representatives about the need especially for more permanent supportive housing, like the Cleveland Commons project that broke ground last year in Bend, which is one of the best solutions to end homelessness for people who are chronically homeless and suffering from mental health disorders. 

Mayor Kebler also spoke about how Bend has been a leader in building more housing, and urged federal officials to support funding and policy that will help Bend’s efforts to both reduce barriers to new housing and also to invest in subsidized affordable housing with increased Low Income Housing Tax Credits. 

Mayor Kebler, alongside mayors from across the country, advocated directly with: 

·                     Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 

·                     Secretary Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services 

·                     Neera Tanden, White House Domestic Policy Advisor to President Biden 

·                     Senator Ron Wyden (OR), Chair, Senate Committee on Finance 

·                     Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), Member, Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

·                     Senator Brian Schatz (HI), Chair, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; Senate Committee on Appropriations 

·                     Senator Mazie Hirono (HI), Member, Senate Committee on Veteran’s Affairs 

·                     Representative Adam Schiff (CA), Member, House Judiciary Committee  

·                     Representative Suzan DelBene (WA), Member, Committee on Ways and Means 

·                     Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR), Member, Committee on Education and Workforce 

From these officials, the mayors heard a commitment to address our key issues as well as a willingness, especially from the Biden administration, to work with mayors at the table to create a comprehensive federal housing package for the 2025 federal legislative session.  

Mayor Kebler was honored to be included in the group of bipartisan mayors speaking with one voice on Capitol Hill this week. Homelessness and housing are urgent issues in cities across the country. Mayor Kebler and the City of Bend will continue to advocate that the federal government step up to help us serve our residents and transition people off the street and into safe and stable housing. 

More about the US Conference of Mayors: About the Conference - United States Conference of Mayors (usmayors.org) 

More about the Homelessness Task Force: Hunger and Homelessness - United States Conference of Mayors (usmayors.org)