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Oregon Housing and Community Services

2023 Legislative Highlights

This page contains archived information about the legislative session.

During the 2023 Legislative Session, the Oregon Legislature continued the trend of steady housing investments to address the needs of Oregonians across the continuum during the 2023-25 biennium (July 2023 – June 2025), allocating a total of $1.14 billion. As we deploy these resources, OHCS looks forward to working with our partners to turn these investments into meaningful progress.

$1.14 billion includes:

  • $721.7 million in supply solutions
  • $349.6 million for emergency homelessness response
  • $20 million in homeownership resources
  • $46.1 million in community homeless resources
  • $1.7 million for language access

Expanding Access and Preserving Homeownership: $20 million*

*Investments in homeownership are included below in supply solutions.

  • $7.5 million for down payment assistance tied to OHCS lending products.
  • $2.5 million to decommission older, unsafe manufactured homes and provide loans for new, energy-efficient manufactured homes.
  • $7.5 million to fund a new low-income mortgage product administered by Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH).
  • $2.5 million for foreclosure avoidance counseling.
  • HB 3151 extends the sunset for the Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee and expands grant-making authority to provide legal aid for manufactured home park tenants.

Advancing supply-side solutions: $721.7 million*

*Does not include Private Activity Bonds and revenue bonds, both critical to OHCS supply strategies.

  • Oregon Currently lack 140,000 homes and more than half need to be afforable.
  • $600 million to develop new affordable homes with Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) Rental, LIFT Homeownership and Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) programs.
  • $5 million to ensure LIFT Homeownership can reach rural communities and build the density needed in other communities to address the supply crisis.
  • $50 million to preserve and improve existing affordable homes, prevent rent increases in affordable housing, and preserve manufactured home parks.
  • $9.7 million for predevelopment costs for affordable housing developments.
  • $4 million to establish a PSH Risk Mitigation Fund to stabilize operating costs and support the longevity of PSH developments.
  • $20 million for the modular housing industry to build production capacity.
  • $10 million for in-community agricultural worker housing.
  • $20 million to develop the Affordable Housing Loan Guarantee Fund to support the construction financing of affordable and moderate-income housing.
  • $3 million to create an income tax credit for selling publicly supported housing to retain the housing as affordable via HB 2071.
  • SB 225 provides flexibility in using federal Private Activity Bonds.
  • HB 2761 expands OHCS’ ability to fund mixed-income developments.
  • HBs 2001 and 2889 establish a permanent Oregon Housing Needs Analysis.
  • HB 2071 is an omnibus tax credit bill and includes multiple provisions:
    • Expands eligibility for Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit (OAHTC) to fund limited-equity cooperatives but does not increase OAHTC investments.
    • Extends sunset for multiple tax credit programs: OAHTC, Agricultural Worker Housing Tax Credit, and the Individual Development Accounts.
  • HB 3309 requires reporting on the funding of homes with accessibility features.
  • HB 3042 updates the Publicly Supported Housing (PuSH) Preservation Program.

Engaging in Emergency Homelessness Responses: $349.6 million

Initial Investments in Executive Order 2023-02 and Statewide Emergency Response – March Housing Package

  • $85.2 million to add 600 shelter beds, hire housing navigators, rehouse at least 1,200 unsheltered households, support wraparound services provided by culturally specific agencies, and support local communities for sanitation service needs in regions designated by EO 23-02.
  • $33.6 million to prevent 8,750 households from becoming homeless by funding rent assistance and eviction prevention services statewide.
  • $27.4 million in homeless services response resources to add 100 shelter beds, hire street outreach workers, rehouse at least 450 unsheltered households, and support local communities for sanitation service needs in the Rural Oregon Continuum of Care.
  • $4.1 million to support the emergency response efforts at OHCS and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (ODEM).

Building on Emergency Response Efforts through 2023-25

  • $45.8 million to continue the operation of the 600 newly added shelter beds created by the March Housing Package in regions designated by EO 23-02.
  • $39.7 million to continue rental assistance and other services for the 1,200 households rehoused through investments from the March Housing Package to prevent them from losing their housing in regions designated by EO 23-02.
  • $17.5 million to maintain unit access through block leasing and other supports for people rehoused through the March Housing Package in regions designated by EO 23-02.
  • $2.3 million to maintain local service provider staffing to support outreach to people experiencing homelessness & navigation to shelter in regions designated by EO 23-02.
  • $39 million in a Special Purpose Appropriation (SPA) to continue rehousing efforts and rent assistance for the 100 households rehoused through investments from the March Housing Package, with 25% of resources set aside for culturally responsive organizations, in the Balance of State.
  • $55 million to further prevent homelessness statewide, with 30% of resources set aside for culturally responsive organizations.
  • HB 3417 expands the Housing Choice Landlord Guarantee Program to landlords participating in emergency response rehousing efforts.

Maintain Community Homelessness Resources: $46.1 million

  • $24.1 million to maintain sheltering operations for Oregon’s existing navigation centers, shelters, and Project Turnkey sites.
  • $6 million for Community Alliance of Tenants, Springfield Eugene Tenant Association, and Oregon Law Center’s Eviction Defense Project to provide support and resources to Oregon tenants.
  • $10 million to the nine sovereign Tribes for homeless services to target the unique barriers faced by Tribal communities.
  • $5 million in Emergency Housing Account (EHA) funds to address youth homelessness.
  • $1 million in EHA funds to provide services for pets of people experiencing homelessness.
  • SB 893 advances recommendations from the Task Force on Homelessness and Racial Disparities, clarifies OHCS’ statutory authority, and streamlines grant-making/contracting.
  • HB 3630 directs Oregon Department of Energy to establish a whole-home energy savings program, or “one-stop shop”, in consultation with OHCS.
  • HB 3409 advances actions that may aid in achieving state greenhouse gas reduction goals, adds technical fixes to OHCS’ Cooling Resource website, and includes OHCS on the Oregon Climate Action Commission.

Expanding Program Access: $1.7 million

  • $1.7 million to increase language access for OHCS programs.
  • SB 892 includes improvements to statutes governing OHCS to streamline operations.
  • SB 606 directs the state to analyze the compensation for nonprofits administering state programs.
  • HB 3462 codifies OHCS practices related to temporary housing and assistance for disaster survivors, particularly ensuring survivors without documentation are served.
  • HB 3215 supports disaster survivors by expanding OHCS authority in disaster recovery.

This page does not include all legislative action impacting housing. To learn more, visit the OHCS Government Relations webpage.