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Portland’s $20,000 Trip to Vienna Raises eyebrows Amid Budget Crisis

A Costly Endeavor in the Midst of Financial Strain

In what critics are calling an unnecessary extravagance, Portland city officials recently embarked on a three-person trip to Vienna, Austria, to study social housing models. The trip, funded by taxpayers, cost approximately $20,000. Portland City Council counselor Candace Avalos and her colleagues traveled to Vienna to gain firsthand exposure to the city’s social housing successes, which are often held up as a benchmark for innovative urban solutions.