A new policy Q&A shows where Washington County chair candidates Nafisa Fai and Pam Treece diverge on housing and immigration enforcement, with ballots hitting Beaverton mailboxes Oct. 14.
The Q&A, published Oct. 1 by the Beaverton Valley Times and written by Ray Pitz, gives voters a structured look at the two commissioners' positions ahead of the Nov. 3 runoff.
The county chair leads a five-person board overseeing Washington County's $2 billion budget. Chair Kathryn Harrington resigned effective Friday, Oct. 2, The Oregonian reported. The winner of the Nov. 3 race will be sworn in Jan. 3, 2027.
Fai, a District 1 commissioner, led the May primary with 39.1% of the vote. Treece, who has represented District 2 since 2019, finished with 33.1%. Neither cleared 50%, triggering the runoff.
Both candidates appear on all Beaverton-area ballots because the chair is elected countywide.
Housing
On housing, the two candidates emphasize different tools. Fai said in the Q&A that the county should increase housing supply, modernize regulations she says slow production, maximize the county's Moving to Work authority and expand public-private partnerships.
"I believe no one should have to use the streets as a waiting room for housing," Fai wrote in the Oct. 1 Q&A.
Treece said the county must partner with affordable housing providers to increase diverse housing options and supports new shelters and transitional housing with good neighbor agreements. She said she championed building the Center for Addictions Triage and Treatment, which includes on-site housing and medical services.
Immigration enforcement
The candidates also diverge on how the county should respond to federal immigration enforcement. Fai said she called for the county commission to declare a state of emergency when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity affected the community. She wrote in the Q&A that she secured funding for affected families and said she unlocked $4 million to prevent housing instability.
The $4 million figure comes from Fai's own response; KGW reported Sept. 18 that she called for a state of emergency and sought resources but did not independently confirm the dollar amount.
Treece wrote in the Q&A that she opposes "excessive federal overreach that creates fear" and called it "unacceptable that hundreds of Washington County residents have been snatched off our streets without warning or due process of any kind."
The candidates
Fai came to the United States as a teenager after spending years in refugee camps. She is the first immigrant and refugee to hold the District 1 seat, according to KGW.
She owns a small business based in Beaverton through which she founded the Pan African Festival.
Treece describes herself as a nearly 30-year Washington County resident. Before entering politics, she worked for Pacific Power, retiring as vice president of external affairs, and served as executive director of the West Side Economic Alliance.
The county has cut $98 million from its budget over the past six years, Treece said in a Sept. 18 KGW interview.
Tuesday, Oct. 13, is the last day to register to vote or change party affiliation. Ballots mail Wednesday, Oct. 14, and the election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
