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Oregon Housing and Community Services

General Housing Account Program – Capacity Building

The General Housing Account Program (GHAP) Capacity Building program provides grants, training, and technical assistance opportunities to help build capacity in individuals, organizations, geographic regions, and systems toward the development and sustainable operation of affordable multifamily rental housing. 

Background

Access to safe, affordable, stable housing is vital to improving the quality of life for Oregon's families and communities. Community-based nonprofit housing developers, local housing authorities, and Native Nation housing entities are uniquely positioned within their communities to support placemaking and provide culturally specific and responsive housing and resident services. Local governments also play an important role in facilitating the development and long-term viability of affordable rental housing projects. The GHAP Capacity Building Program was created to invest in the growth and development of our key partners and regional networks towards meeting Oregon’s immediate and long-term needs for safe, stable housing.

Program goals

  • Increase housing production, preservation, and sustainability in regions and communities in Oregon with unmet needs through capacity building investments.
  • Strengthen capacity of eligible entities and geographic areas in Oregon with high need for housing and limited local resources to meet shared affordable rental housing development and operating goals.

 Eligible entities

  • Nonprofits
  • Public Housing Authorities
  • Native Nations
  • Local Governments

Although these entities are all eligible to receive GHAP Capacity Building Funds, individual grant offerings may be designed to focus on only one or two of the eligible entity types and may include additional criteria related to OHCS goals and priorities.

Oregon Centralized Application Capacity Building Grants (ORCA CB Grants) Grantees

ORCA CB grants help organizations that currently (or have taken documented steps to) develop, preserve, operate, or increase publicly supported multifamily affordable rental housing (ARH) opportunities in Oregon, by providing funds for a variety of capacity building activities. Individual grants are for a two-year work period.

The 2025-27 grant provided two routes for capacity building, organizational strengthening and innovative and regional projects. Organizational grant activities should strengthen internal systems and capacity to meet their goals and mission related to developing and/or operating affordable rental housing. Innovative and regional projects grants should focus on bringing together neighboring regions to address a capacity building problem or should seek funding pilot an innovative solution to a capacity need.

OHCS has awarded $1.95 million to 13 partners for the 2025-2027 ORCA Capacity Building Grants.

ORCA CB Grant Background

Access to safe, stable, and affordable housing is essential to improving the quality of life for Oregon’s families and communities. Community-based nonprofit housing developers, local housing authorities, and Native Nation housing providers are uniquely positioned to support placemaking efforts and deliver culturally specific, responsive housing and resident services. Local governments also play a critical role in enabling the development and long-term sustainability of affordable rental housing.

The GHAP Capacity Building Program was created to invest in the growth and development of our key partners and regional networks towards meeting Oregon’s immediate and long-term housing needs. 

45 partners submitted intake forms for this resource offering. Applications were reviewed using a first completed, first reviewed process and awards were based on a review of threshold requirements and evaluation criteria. Funds were temporarily reserved for Native Nations applicants.


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