Staff Reports
In a twist that would make even the most seasoned political bystander shake their head, Oregon has decided to roll out the welcome mat—well, a $30,000 grant sort of welcome mat—for asylum-seekers, refugees, and DACA recipients looking to buy their first home. The Hacienda Community Development Corporation, through its prominently titled Camino A Casa program, is making it abundantly clear that in the state of Oregon, if you have a green card or are simply non-U.S. citizen, there’s a pot of gold waiting for you while American citizens continue to struggle.
This grant program is explicitly designed for individuals who lack U.S. citizenship but seem to have the magical ability to qualify for housing assistance over the local Americans who are facing ever-climbing home prices and limited availability. It’s as if the state has mistakenly decided that non-citizens deserve a break while hardworking Americans are left to sift through the scraps. Meanwhile, Oregon continues to grapple with a significant homeless crisis, struggling with a 22% increase in homelessness from 2020-2022.
🚨A taxpayer-funded organization in Oregon calledHacienda,Community Development Corporation is offering $30,000 for new home purchases to only non-American citizens —DACA recipients, asylees, and greencard holders can apply,VARNEY: “Pathetic.This is buying the votes of the people pic.twitter.com/Zouu0KhKjY
— Jack Posobiec (@PosobiecJa76200) August 22, 2024
The Hacienda Community Development Corporation touts its initiative as a stepping stone towards economic equity. However, as some legislative critics point out, this program may not be as equitable as its architects would have citizens believe. State Rep. Ed Diehl took aim at the program, likening it to a slap in the face to Oregonians desperately trying to find suitable housing. With a hunger for solutions to the housing crisis, one can’t help but wonder if Oregonians would prefer their tax dollars go towards helping those who actually contribute to the system.
It’s not as if Oregon is unaware of its own housing crisis; Governor Tina Kotek has already declared multiple states of emergency regarding the housing shortage, so what gives? The plan is to construct a stunning 36,000 homes a year, all while throwing financial aid at non-citizens for homeownership. This hardly sounds like a sustainable approach to creating economic balance for current residents, and it raises eyebrows regarding the efficacy of mixing up priorities that should, ideally, start at home.
In total, Oregon has forked over a staggering $29 million to house and provide meals for asylum-seekers, all amid severe scrutiny from some members of the Republican Party. There are calls for this grant program to be shut down in favor of assisting local citizens who must face the harsh realities of high rents, skyrocketing prices, and dwindling inventory. Perhaps the lesson here is that the wallets of hardworking Oregonians are being picked without so much as a second thought to their struggles.
