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Senate District 24 rests on the traditional ancestral lands of the Multnomah, Wasco, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Cowlitz bands of Chinook, Talatin, Kalapuya, Molalla and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. As a former refugee from Africa, who now resides on this stolen land, I pledge to share in the struggle and fight for Native sovereignty, decolonization, and collective liberation alongside our Indigenous communities.
Senator Kayse Jama
I hope everyone is doing well and tolerating the transition to the cold winter months. I know it’s been a while since I reached out, but I’m excited to share several updates and fill you in on the work my office has been doing in the interim.
First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the uncertainty, fear, and anxiety that many of you are feeling following the re-election of former President Donald Trump last month. While I’m working with other elected officials to plan Oregon’s response to the incoming administration, I also recognize that this is a constantly evolving situation. We need to be both proactive and reactive to any federal threats against our Oregon values. For state leaders, that means shoring up our existing protections for vulnerable communities and identifying any gaps. For all of us, it means strengthening the community ties and civil society organizations that form the foundation of a healthy democracy. Now is the time to get out in your communities and show up for your neighbors and friends. I encourage you to volunteer, subscribe to your local newspaper, or check in on your loved ones as you are able.
As always, please reach out to my office with your questions or concerns. If you are having trouble with a state agency or need assistance in any way, my staff and I are here to serve you. Our contact information is located at the end of this newsletter.
My new role as Senate Majority Leader
I am honored to announce that my Democratic colleagues in the Oregon Senate recently elected me to serve as Senate Majority Leader. I’m proud to lead our caucus into 2025 and serve all Oregonians in this role. I know this is going to be a challenging year for our state and country, but I believe my work and life experience have uniquely prepared me to serve in this capacity. If you’d like to learn more about my goals and values as the new Majority Leader, I encourage you to check out this article in the Oregon Capitol Chronicle from a few weeks ago.
While this transition will change several aspects of my role, it will not change my commitment to serving you and all of Senate District 24. I will continue to advocate for racial and economic justice across every policy arena and fight for investment in our district. Our preparation for the 2025 legislative session has begun in earnest, marked by our recent December legislative day hearings. You can find updates on those hearings and learn more about my priorities for the upcoming session below.
December Legislative Days
After a few months away from Salem, legislators were back in the Capitol building a few weeks ago for December Legislative Days. Legislative Days are a time for legislators and staff to hold informational hearings on potential legislative topics, hear updates on previous policy implementation, hear reports from state agencies and task forces, and remain informed on the challenges currently facing Oregonians.
In my final hearing serving as Chair of the Senate Committee on Housing and Development, I had the pleasure of inviting the Governor’s office, local elected officials, and several leaders in the housing services space to present to our committee. We heard a presentation from the Governor’s Sustainable Shelter Workgroup on the funding needs for emergency shelters around the state, as well as updates on the state of homeownership in Oregon. You can view the hearing in its entirety here.
Being back in Salem also gave me the opportunity to meet with community members, advocacy organizations, and several of my elected colleagues regarding legislative priorities for 2025. We know that our state’s transportation infrastructure and public education funding are going to be top priorities for lawmakers heading into next year. The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation recently concluded its “roadshow tour” around the state, collecting public input on transportation needs from local communities. While I don’t serve on the Joint Committee, I’ll be monitoring their activity and advocating for desperately needed infrastructure investments in our district. East Portland, in particular, has long suffered from disinvestment in critical infrastructure like sidewalks, bike lanes, and properly paved roads.
Housing Priorities for 2025
While I will no longer be serving as Chair of the Senate Housing and Development Committee in 2025, I am honored to be handing the gavel to my longtime collaborator and friend, Senator Khanh Pham. Addressing the state’s housing and homelessness crisis remains one of my top priorities. I’m particularly focused on two policy areas during the upcoming session: ensuring the long-term viability of affordable housing projects and making our housing infrastructure more climate resilient.
During my time as chair, I’ve led with the belief that the most cost-effective way to address homelessness is by keeping people in their homes. During past sessions, we’ve achieved this goal by allocating significant resources to rental assistance programs and increasing tenant protections. While these investments reduce evictions, the expiration of affordable housing covenants also poses a significant threat to housing stabilization efforts. Building new housing is extremely important, but so is maintaining the affordability and quality of rent-restricted housing. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) estimates that more than 4,000 units will lose their affordability status over the next 5 years, threatening to displace thousands of low-income Oregonians. Over the interim, I convened a workgroup to identify funding solutions that will keep more properties affordable for our most vulnerable families. The Senate Committee on Housing and Development will be introducing legislation during the long session aimed at increasing and stabilizing funding sources for these properties.
The committee will also be introducing a bill of particular importance to me - a rental housing cooling requirement that would require all landlords to provide central air or portable air conditioning devices to keep each bedroom at a maximum of 15 degrees below the outdoor temperature and not higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Oregon currently requires landlords to provide indoor heating, but there is no such equivalent for cooling. I believe this is a critical step to ensure that our vulnerable community members stay safe as climate change brings increasingly frequent and extreme heat waves over the coming years.
It has been my pleasure and honor to help lead our state’s housing production and homeless response efforts. Over the 3 years I’ve served as chair, Oregon has invested over $4 billion in housing production and homeless prevention initiatives. I’m also proud of the policy steps we’ve taken - from capping rent increases to establishing a revolving loan fund to boost middle-income housing - but we still have much work to do. As Majority Leader, I am committed to working with the Senate Housing and Development Committee Chair Pham and our Governor to meaningfully address our housing shortage in the coming years.
Mental Health Resources
With the weather growing colder and the winter approaching, reduced daylight hours can have a negative impact on our mental health. I encourage everyone to take care of themselves and those around them. If you or someone you know is struggling and needs help, there are several resources available. Oregon’s 988 crisis hotline is available for 24/7 crisis support via phone or online chat. You can also contact your local Community Mental Health Program to find behavioral health, mental health, and addiction support. If you or a loved one is facing eviction or a utility shut-off or needs legal assistance, please visit https://www.211info.org/ for emergency resources.
Upcoming Town Hall
I will be hosting a joint town hall with Representative Hoa Nguyen and Representative Andrea Valderrama on Wednesday, January 8, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the Midland Library (805 SE 122nd Ave, Portland, OR 97233). Please come to hear more about our priorities for the upcoming legislative session and ask us any questions that might be on your mind.
I hope you all stay healthy, happy, and safe in the coming months. Again, please do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions, concerns, or needs. I am proud to represent Senate District 24 and look forward to hearing your input on how to make our community a better place to live.
Wishing you a happy 2025,
Senator Kayse Jama
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1724
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, S-409, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: Sen.KayseJama@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/jama
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