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Dear Friends,
While I entered public service to work toward making healthcare more accessible and affordable, there are many other things that contribute to good health. Chief among them is access to affordable housing. This coming session will be focused on helping to expand housing resources, and it's exciting to see the work that is happening in our region in this regard.
Thank you to Mayor Hoy and Salem City Manager Keith Stahley for inviting me to join them and the City Council for a tour of Rivenwood in downtown Salem, which is opening in April. This 157-uit housing development is led by Deacon Develpment, with Studio 3 Architects and Dalke Construction. Several units will be offered below market rates to qualified renters, and accessibility has also been a driving factor. The sixth floor deck is particularly scenic. More housing is on the way.
I hope to see you in the Capitol during the short session, which begins next Monday, February 5th, with a Senate Floor session at 8:00 am.
Best regards,
Deb
Claim your Oregon Kids’ Credit and receive up to $1,000 for each eligible child!
If you are raising a child younger than 6 years old, and you earned less than $30,000 last year, then you likely qualify for a new Oregon tax credit. The Oregon Kids’ Credit is worth up to $1,000 for every child aged 0 to 5 for families who made up to $30,000 last year. Even if you did not earn enough money to file taxes, you can still receive the Oregon Kids’ Credit if you have an eligible child at home. If your family uses an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to file your taxes, you can claim the Oregon Kids’ Credit.
Free tax filing assistance is available. Those can be found by visiting a resource page prepared by the Oregon Department of Revenue. You can find help filing your taxes by dialing 2-1-1, or by texting your zip code to 898211 (TXT211). Filing a tax return not only allows you to claim the Oregon Kids’ Credit, but other tax credits available for families worth thousands of dollars.
Click here for more information!
Responding to Homelessness in Salem
Thank you to the City of Salem which offers many services, including the Salem Outreach and Livability Services (SOS) Program.
The SOS Team continues direct outreach to those living unsheltered, to share resources and alternative options to assist property owners with those who may be trespassing on private property, and to pick up trash where it can be easily accessed. Working alongside outreach, specialized law enforcement teams, and other partners, residents should see a focused response to conditions in the following areas:
- Pedestrian pathway between Wallace Road and Wallace Marine Park
- Trestle bridge space near Willamette River
- Church and High St. near Pringle Park
Connecting people to housing and shelter. On February 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Salem Housing Authority will host a Share the Love event at Wallace Marine Park. The Salem Housing Authority Compassion Action Response Team will be on-site among other partners to offer refreshments, coordinated entry assessments, and other resources.
Emergency Preparedness in 2024
Thank you to Marion County, which has introduced a "Preparedness in One Year" campaign, designed to guide residents through the essential steps of emergency preparedness. Then is to help everyone become 2-Weeks Ready, aligning with the preparedness initiative set forth by Oregon Emergency Management.
Click here for more information!
 Click here for more information!
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1710
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, S-411, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: Sen.DebPatterson@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/patterson
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