Representative criticizes Housing First approach during House remonstrance, calls for accountability
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Summary
In a remonstrance on the House floor, Representative Juncker sharply criticized the Housing First model, saying his constituents see tents, trash and crime rather than stable outcomes.
Representative Juncker used the remonstrance portion of the House floor to criticize Oregon's Housing First approach and related policies, saying the model has produced visible homelessness, trash and community decline in his district.
"Every Thursday, I drive home from Grants Pass, and every Thursday, I see what so-called Housing First model has delivered: tents, trash, addiction, and chaos," Juncker told colleagues. He said his constituents have seen "decay" rather than recovery and called for more accountability and alternatives to current policies.
Juncker referenced House Bill 315 and accused some state policies of "silencing" taxpayers and protecting NGOs that benefit from Housing First programs. He urged a policy shift toward enforcement and treatment rather than what he described as an overreliance on harm-reduction approaches.
House leadership did not take formal action on his remarks; remonstrances are statements to the record. Other members responded from the floor to correct framing, with Representative Hudson saying what Juncker described may not be representative of Housing First models.