(Photo courtesy of Partners for Affordable Housing)
On Thursday, April 30, Partners for Affordable Housing (PAH) will launch its 2026 four-part candidate forum series called Housing is a Math Problem with a Deschutes County Commission Candidate Forum from 5-7pm at Open Space Event Studios. Click here to register.
“Our region’s housing crisis is impacting low-income families, nurses, small business owners, students, builders, and employers alike,” said Eliza Wilson, executive director for RootedHomes and a member of the PAH Steering Committee. “This series helps elevate housing as the defining issue of the 2026 election cycle. It creates a platform for candidates to clearly articulate how they will increase housing production and reduce costs – and allows voters to evaluate those plans side-by-side.”
Partners for Affordable Housing is a coalition of diverse partners in Central Oregon educating on bold solutions to our region’s housing crisis. The 2026 Housing is a Math Problem candidate forum series will feature impactful forums that convene candidates in key races to address our most urgent challenge: a housing production shortfall driving up costs for families, workers, and businesses across the state.
The forum series aims to include:
- Deschutes County Commission Candidate Forum: 5-7pm April 30 in Bend
- Gubernatorial Candidate Forum: Late May/Early June
- Bend Mayor and Bend City Council Candidate Forum: Mid-September
- Redmond City Council Candidate Forum: Late September
The Deschutes County Commission Candidate Forum will be free, open to the public, and nonpartisan. This event will be emceed by the coalition’s media partner, Central Oregon Daily News (KOHD), and recorded. Recordings of the event will be available on Central Oregon Daily New’s website as well as the Partners for Affordable Housing website.
Candidates who had raised $1,000 or more by March 2 according to Orestar were invited to participate in this event. Invited participants include:
- Position 1: Jamie Collins, Tony DeBone
- Position 3: Lauren Connally, Amanda Page, Amy Sabbadini
- Position 4: Maddie McKinney, Rick Russell
- Position 5: Rob Imhoff, Morgan Schmidt
All candidates have accepted our invitation to participate in this forum.
Unlike a traditional debate, Housing is a Math Problem candidate forums will feature questions developed by coalition members representing a broad cross-section of the Central Oregon community, presented to the candidates by Central Oregon Daily News.
Coalition partners include labor representatives, business leaders, housing affordable and market rate housing builders, real estate professionals, and groups representing impacted community members such as Associated Students of Cascades Campus, Bethlehem Inn, CASA of Central Oregon, Envision Bend, Oregon Nurses Association, and We Black Radio. See all the members at partnersforaffordablehousing.com.
Partners for Affordable Housing is currently securing forum sponsors to help ensure that housing remains front and center in this election cycle. Sponsors will receive recognition across marketing materials, paid digital advertising, press outreach, event programs, social media, and the coalition’s website. Organizations interested in sponsoring the series are encouraged to pledge by contacting info@partnersforaffordablehousing.com.
Thank you to our generous sponsors: Hayden Homes, Cascades East Association of Realtors, Pahlisch Homes, Central Oregon Home Builders Association (COBA), Hooker Creek, Pinnacle Architecture, Bend Chamber and TEN OVER STUDIO.
Register here for the April 30 Deschutes County Commission forum.
About Partners for Affordable Housing:
Partners for Affordable Housing is a diverse coalition of impacted people and organizations educating the public on bold solutions that increase housing supply and lower housing costs in Central Oregon.
