OAHP Resources Draft Framework
Intent / Goals
House Bill (HB) 3589 of the 2025 Oregon Legislative Session transferred $24 million from the Senior Property Tax Deferral Revolving Account to the General Fund, which OHCS is to use $23.5 million to fund the development of new affordable rental housing that serves older adults with an emphasis on those with disabilities. The remaining $500,000 will be used for technical assistance through a Request for Proposal process. The Department of Revenue will review the account annually through December 2030 to determine whether a positive balance is available for transfer to OHCS for further use in funding housing for this population. OHCS plans to launch this program with the mid-2026 Oregon Centralized Application (ORCA) updates and offer this resource as paired with the Elderly and Disabled Bond Direct Lending program, which will be launched at the same time.
Engagement Summary
OHCS engaged internal teams and external stakeholders to design a program framework for HB 3589, ensuring alignment with legislative intent and stakeholder vision.
Contributors included internal OHCS staff and Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) representatives, as well as external partners such as the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Disability Rights Oregon, older adult affordable housing developers, members of the Senior Housing Workgroup (which includes bill sponsor Representative Marsh and organizations like AARP, Leading Age, and Bridge Meadows), and additional advocates from groups such as Community Vision and Portland State University’s Institute on Aging.
Summary of Key Determinations and Considerations
- Resources for new development were the overall priority
- Support for aligning to age-based Fair Housing exemptions
- Critical importance of clarity and alignment across definitions, program requirements, and design standards
- Priority for supporting lower-income older adults with units that are affordable over maximizing the number of units/projects
- Accessibility standards needed to allow for aging in place at properties; generally agreeing that at least 20% of units should be fully accessible, and the remaining 80% of units adaptable
Eligibility / Terms
To be eligible for OAHP, a project must meet the definition of an Older Adult Project and align with the other requirements set forth in the ORCA and project manual. Additionally, to receive funding, at least half of a project’s units must be restricted to incomes and rents at no more than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), with the remainder at or below 120% AMI.
To ensure tenants are able to age in place and that older adult tenants with disabilities are being served, OHCS proposes requiring all units that do not otherwise meet ADA requirements to meet the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Type A building requirements (i.e., they can be easily adapted to be fully accessible). One caveat the agency is working through is that ANSI Type A units might trigger a requirement for a 1:1 ratio of accessible parking spaces, which would lead OHCS to consider ANSI Type B units, which are accessible ready but not to the same degree as Type A.
Requirements / Priorities
Serving older adults means adopting one of the following property restrictions:
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62+ Communities:Every resident must be at least 62 years old.
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55+ Communities:At least 80% of the occupied units must have at least one resident who is 55 or older.
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To qualify as a 55+ community, written policies and rules that state the property is intended for use by older adults aged 55+ must be in place. Most adult-only communities fall into the 55+ category. To qualify for the 55+ exemption under the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA), a community must meet the following requirements:
- Occupancy Rule: At least 80% of the occupied units must have at least one resident aged 55 or older.
- Intent to Operate as 55+: The community must have written policies and rules that clearly state it is intended for older adults.
- Verification: The ages of residents must be verified with reliable documentation (like a government-issued ID) at least once every two years to ensure that the community continually complies with the HOPA age requirements.
Design Standards: OHCS will require elevated design standards to ensure this population can age in place and that persons with disabilities are served. Requirements include:
- 80% adaptable units (Type A); remaining 20% fully accessible units (ADA Requirements)
- 5% (total units) hearing/visual impaired
- Design standards will be more robust than general ORCA standards, to ensure projects are properly designed for Older Adults with disabilities and for the population to age in place. Project design enhancements such as:
- Considerations for mobility and height for individuals who have limited use of their limbs, limited range of motion, or dexterity, or who use mobility supports
- Considerations for individuals who use support services
- Hearing and acoustic considerations for individuals who are hard of hearing and use hearing supports and devices, and/or who have auditory sensory sensitivities (in addition to the 5% accessibility standards)
- Vision considerations for those who are blind or who have low vision and/or who use visual supports and devices (in addition to the 5% accessibility standards)
- Cognitive access considerations for individuals who process information differently, including wayfinding support for memory or orientation
- Health and wellness considerations for individuals who have chronic health conditions, allergies, and chemical sensitivities, are immunocompromised, and/or regularly utilize medical and/or therapeutic services
- Considerations for aging in place
- Considerations for fall prevention
Program Delivery
Resources will be offered through ORCA on a first-come first-reviewed basis, following ORCA standards for submission and application remediation. If, after six months, no viable project has submitted an application for resources, OHCS will revise the program design standards to broaden the pool of viable projects.
Resources to be invested as zero-interest loans for 30 years. All projects must submit information for evaluation under the Elderly & Disabled bond funds as a debt source; where analysis demonstrates the ability to support debt, debt must be taken.
Project design enhancements include, but may not be limited to:
- Considerations for
mobility and height for individuals who have limited use of their limbs, limited range of motion, or dexterity, or who use mobility supports
- Considerations for individuals who use
support services
-
Hearing and acoustic considerations for individuals who are hard of hearing and use hearing supports and devices, and/or who have auditory sensory sensitivities
-
Vision considerations for those who are blind or who have low vision and/or who use visual supports and devices
-
Cognitive access considerations for individuals who process information differently, including wayfinding support for memory or orientation
-
Health and wellness considerations for individuals who have chronic health conditions, allergies, and chemical sensitivities, are immunocompromised, and/or regularly utilize medical and/or therapeutic services
- Considerations for
aging in place
- Considerations for
fall prevention
OHCS will also consider the following project design specifications:
- Prioritizing deep affordability
- Centering race and addressing specific ways to increase anti-racist strategies in project design and operation to support the inclusion of BIPOC individuals and individuals with intersectional identities
- Partnering with culturally specific organizations
- Providing supportive services
- Utilizing rent assistance