11/09/2025
H**p is the foundation for our proposed model of scalable, owner occupied housing.
Affordability remains key, targeting the working poor, especially in times of high economic uncertainty, but integrity of construction, functionality of spaces, their interdependent utilization, integrated services and infrastructure, and connection with community still remain important to the plan. Remember, the first rule of design is to determine the function. Shelter is not housing but it is a necessary step. Again, its goals must be more clearly stated in a comprehensive plan that goes beyond the numbers and the same old single problem solutions.
As for funding, voter approved money, being spent with little regard to objective outcomes, can be redirected to a fund for investment that gives priority to projects that solve more than one problem and have mechanisms to actually repay (like the Creative Community Cooperative plan), so future funding is ongoing, mitigating what issues and needs may arise. This is addressed in our suggestions for a municipal bank, which is networked with community banks and credit unions.
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As for another benefit of hempcrete:
As of August 2022, 1,304 of the 1,955 reported fires were classified as "homeless related". While I can’t yet confirm, last night I heard that this figure rose to 3,000+ homeless related fires; people trying to get warm on the streets. Portland may be on fire but the reasons and implications are not what is reported. It’s much more insidious. The accusers are complicit, long before the actuality. Still, there is some good news to consider here.
When we talk about “multiplier effects”, it is essentially “for each dollar/job” directly created, X numbers of each are generated indirectly. One implication is that the overworked Portland Fire Department might get some relief, allowing them to focus on the more substantial incidents.
**pwall
