Once again Housing Authority of Portland's chair, Howard Shapiro, wearing his "we help the needy" band on his white hat, proclaims HAP can do no wrong. Shapiro was quick to demand equal time from the Oregonian* but not so fast to offer or allow equal time to a different view in publications where Shapiro wears the publisher's hat, namely HAP's newspaper and HAP's newsletter which have been spewing unchallenged propaganda in my neighborhood for two years.

With an army of bulldozers on the horizon Shapiro now calls for debate. That's lame and a bit late Howard. Shapiro claims support from a vast array of publicly elected officials and yet, although challenged several times, not a single elected official in the state of Oregon has been willing to share a public stage and defend HAP's process in a debate with me. When recently given the chance to defend HAP at a public budget hearing not a single member of Portland's City Council was willing to do so. HAP's so-called official support is apparently a mile wide and a millimeter deep. [Howard, if you find some elected official (mayoral candidate Jim Francesconi?) who is willing to go a few rounds with me on your behalf in the public area let me know. I'll set up a public bout and promise to try and be as entertaining as Chris Matthews on Hardball or as any WWF Smackdown. It's time to put up or shut up.]

HAP's appointed leader dodged all five questions raised in my op-ed piece, Like Enron, HAP flunks public duty.** You want HAP to have credibility then answer all the questions. Put up a map and table on HAP's web site that is commensurate to the one on http://www.goodgrowthnw.org . Tell us the cost differences to provide shelter for similar clients in government housing and private sector accommodations. Your wardrobe choice of a mantle of righteousness does not protect you from the need to tell the whole truth.

Shapiro implies that HAP volunteers do greater good for the community then other citizen volunteers. There are many hundreds if not thousands of volunteer neighborhood activists throughout every community in Oregon. These leaders are highly regarded for their efforts to improve the quality of life and maintain neighborhood stability and community balance. Many of them see HAP as more of a bully than a saint.

Shapiro's strategy to coverup HAP's failure to provide basic accounting information by holier than thou triumphalist proclamations does not and will not change the facts.

* http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1054296676267862.xml

** http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1054123777167470.xml