Affordable Rental Housing Technical Advisors

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Technical Advisors are your expert guides through the complexities of affordable rental housing project development and financing. We help developers navigate the Oregon Centralized Application (ORCA), identify resources, and offer project feedback to help successfully finance affordable rental housing.

How Technical Advisors (TA) can help

How to connect with a TA

For one-on-one assistance with affordable rental housing projects, reach out directly to our Technical Advisor (TA) team at Technical.Advisors@hcs.oregon.gov. TAs serve as your primary point of contact navigating the ORCA process and accessing OHCS support.

When a TA should be engaged

Engage with a TA as early as the project concept stage. Early involvement helps you understand available funding opportunities and ensures smoother navigation of the ORCA Intake and application process.

How can a Technical Advisor help with an ORCA application?

A Technical Advisor provides support by guiding developers through the ORCA process, answering questions, clarifying requirements, and connecting you with resources such as predevelopment loans and grants.

What happens after submitting the ORCA intake form?

After intake form submission, the OHCS application team reviews your project. Projects requesting or needing early support will be connected to Technical Advisor for assistance to help them get ready to proceed to the next stage.

Technical Advisors Impact

Since Spring 2024, TAs have helped hundreds of partners through affordable rental housing development and financing.

Development Resources

• About Oregon Centralized Application
  
• Affordable rental housing development programs
•  Current affordable rental housing pipeline
•  Affordable rental housing partner database
  
• Technical Advisories
  
• Other key contacts for affordable housing development and resources:
• ORCA Applications Team: app.team@hcs.oregon.gov
  
• Housing Stabilization resources: hsd.homelessservices@hcs.oregon.gov
• Homeownership development: ho.development@hcs.oregon.gov
  

Training

• Ask the Expert training series: In response to partner requests for topic specific training/learning with the agency's Affordable Rental Housing (ARH) division staff and teams, Technical Advisors are hosing an “Ask the Expert” training series. This ongoing series provides overviews of ARH topics by subject matter experts and features facilitated Q&A sessions on the topics presented. Stay tuned to Technical Advisories to get notified on Ask the Expert trainings.
  
• ORCA introduction video
  

• Get help with ORCA
  

Partner Voices

Hear what our partners have to say about Technical Advisors and the help they have received.