Lisa Freeman — Candidate for City Council, District 4
Endorsed: Shade Equity Platform, CEI Hub Platform
Candidate statement:
Many of the crises we are experiencing today are a reflection of our City’s inability to support our most vulnerable community members through the cascading social, economic, and environmental crisis that is devastating cities across the country. As we work to solve our housing and safety crisis, we must use equitable climate action and adaptation as the lens through which we view the problem.
I firmly believe we are capable of achieving net zero by net 30, but it will take an effective and accountable city government through the transition, commitment from leadership (including but not limited to City Council) and the continued support of incredible organizations like 350PDX. We do not need new climate plans – we know what to do and it’s past time for bold action to implement the plans we already have We need to institutionalize climate action and climate justice throughout the new form of government, which I fully intend to prioritize if elected.
Some policy actions I plan to prioritize:
-Revoke Zenith’s Land Use Compatibility Statement (LUCS). The approval of the LUCS by our current City Council was not only in conflict with our City’s climate goals, but broke the trust of the community through a lack of transparency and a violation of lobbying rules.
-Encouraging inclusive and walkable/bikeable neighborhoods through land use policies that increase housing options, increase safety, and bring needed community assets closer to the people who use them.
-Advocate for investment in affordable high quality transit and micro mobility strategies.
-Retrofit all homes and buildings, especially those in frontline communities, with greener appliances and upgraded weatherization.
-Transition the majority of Vehicle Miles Traveled to electric vehicles, and we can do this by promoting newly funded state incentives for purchase, and investing in charging infrastructure.
-Support efforts to increase canopy in neighborhoods that lack shade, while also implementing strategies to cool off urban heat islands in the short term.
-Protect PCEF and support the full implementation of the program’s community investment plan.
Will you ensure the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) remains climate-focused in line with what voters intended?
Yes
