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The clock is ticking on Oregon’s 35‑day short session, and that compressed timeline can either sideline renters or sharpen our influence. We take you inside a practical game plan for making the most of limited days and limited bills, with a laser focus on enforcing existing rental laws, boosting agency responsiveness, and proving—again—that we’re organized, present, and paying attention.

We break down two timely proposals that illustrate what targeted policy can do: low‑interest energy efficiency loans from investor‑owned utilities that reduce monthly costs for tenants and seniors, and stronger lobby transparency so every voter can see who is backing or fighting each bill. Along the way, we connect these ideas to everyday stakes—heat bills, healthy homes, and trust in the process—so you can speak to lawmakers in plain terms that move votes.

Organization is our force multiplier this month. We’re hosting regional Zoom meetings from Portland to Ashland to surface local priorities while building statewide momentum. Not everyone has a computer, so we lay out simple steps for park-and-rec room watch parties, along with why it’s crucial to document attendance and send names. That proof of turnout earns credibility with committees and staff, and it keeps our issues on the agenda. We also cover clean membership data—why your email and phone number matter for action alerts—and the digital steps that expand our reach: subscribe on YouTube, hit thumbs up, and share this episode so we can unlock live tools and mobilize faster.

If you care about rental code enforcement, transparent lobbying, and practical relief like energy upgrades that cut bills, this conversation is your roadmap for the weeks ahead. Join a regional session, invite a neighbor, and help us keep the pressure smart, local, and sustained. Subscribe, share with one person today, and tell us: what’s your top question for your legislator this month?

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Copyright OSTA2045,2025 Not for rebroadcast w/o express written permission. Please share and download for educational purposes with attribution.

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A holiday greeting turns into a blueprint for real-world change. We start with gratitude, a few comfort-movie picks, and a fruitcake story that somehow survived 14 years, then follow the thread to where community joy becomes community power. When neighbors talk over dinner or on a winter walk, patterns emerge: pressure to stop organizing, invasive surveillance proposals, and confusion about what rights actually exist. Naming those patterns together is the first step toward fixing them.

We share why HB 3054—our rent stabilization effort that critics said would never happen—passed into law, and what that win means for residents across parks. Then we get practical about the next phase: stronger enforcement, cleaner processes, and local chapters that help tenants document issues and act fast. You’ll hear how seniors, who make up a quarter of our county and vote at high rates, can shape outcomes in low-turnout elections by writing letters, showing up, and supporting lawmakers willing to put protections into practice. It’s a strategy built on steady civic habits layered over a base of trust and humor.

The throughline is simple: rest fuels resolve. We celebrate small traditions—ugly sweaters, a roadside cookout with hot dogs and chili by the Rogue River—because time to breathe makes room for courage. As we thank the legislators and volunteers helping move good policy forward, we also invite you to connect with neighbors, start a chapter, and keep the momentum going. If this message resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Your voice and your vote are gifts the whole community can use.

Join OSTA Link
Comments or Questions for the Podcast
Email: bbateman@oregontenants.com

Copyright OSTA2045,2025 Not for rebroadcast w/o express written permission. Please share and download for educational purposes with attribution.

Music POND5
Item: 103334712
Format: Music
Title: Make An Impact (Stinger Intro) - Upbeat Corporate Inspirational Uplifting
License: Individual License, Commercial
Composer: juqboxmusic
Stock Music provided by inspiringaudio, from Pond5
Produced by Retired Guy Productions

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Hungry neighbors and holiday budgets collide long before the lights come down, so we set out to answer a hard question: what actually helps right now? We walk through the rising need created by SNAP cuts and share a counterintuitive lesson from our own park—don’t start a new food bank just because it feels proactive. Strengthen the ones that already exist. We break down the unseen work of food banks, from collection logistics to storage safety and security, and show how green bag programs and needs-based donations deliver more rice, beans, and shelf-stable proteins to the people who need them most.

Community care also looks like a shared table. We talk about potlucks that turn leftovers into a steady stream of meals and connection. Two turkey carcasses became broth, pulled meat, and enough soup to serve multiple households, with a pan of tetrazini for variety. These small acts stretch budgets, reduce waste, and invite neighbors to swap recipes and ideas that travel farther than any single drop-off.

Then we shift from food to tenant power. Many manufactured home parks struggle with inconsistent rule enforcement and corporate indifference. We outline a volunteer-led course we’ve proposed through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute to help residents start an OSTA chapter, organize effectively, and document issues in ways that lead to action. From first meetings and roles to escalation paths and engaging the attorney general for enforcement, the focus is practical, repeatable tools any park can use.

If OLLI approves the course, you’ll be able to join us there; if not, we’ll host it through OSTA with video modules and written guides. Either way, the goal is the same: support your local food banks with intention, turn leftovers into community, and build the structures that protect your park year-round. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a neighbor, and leave a quick review to help more residents find these resources. What’s the first action you’ll take this week?

Join OSTA Link
Comments or Questions for the Podcast
Email: bbateman@oregontenants.com

Copyright OSTA2045,2025 Not for rebroadcast w/o express written permission. Please share and download for educational purposes with attribution.

Music POND5
Item: 103334712
Format: Music
Title: Make An Impact (Stinger Intro) - Upbeat Corporate Inspirational Uplifting
License: Individual License, Commercial
Composer: juqboxmusic
Stock Music provided by inspiringaudio, from Pond5
Produced by Retired Guy Productions

Info Logo 6 (Breaking News) 196306063 Sound effect TTSynth 2025-01-25 Individual Info Logo 13 (Breaking News) 210545139 Sound effect TTSynth 2025-01-25