April 30, 2007
The Housing Alliance Update & Announcements is a bi-weekly electronic newsletter to keep you up-to-date about everything the Housing Alliance is doing to win in 2007 - and how you can get involved!
We are about at the half way mark of this Legislative Session and we need to keep the pressure on lawmakers to commit $100 million to affordable housing.
We visited each legislator at Lobby Day in early February. Now it’s time to contact them again and remind them of the escalating housing affordability crisis and the need for the state to make a significant investment.
Within the next week we need each Housing Alliance member and supporter to take action in support of the $100 million Housing Opportunity Agenda.
- Call or email your legislators and ask for their support for HB 3551.
- Contact members of the Ways and Means Committee and ask them to continue to support the General Fund and Lottery allocations that will complete the $100 million package (committee members emails are below).
- Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Include the messages we've practiced. You can write in response to an article about poverty, housing, or other legislative spending priorities. What’s most important is that we get our messages out and printed in newspapers across the state. If you reference a specific bill number (HB 3551) or legislator it increases the likelihood that your legislators will see your letter.
Update on House Bill 3551 (formerly SB 38)
Great news! Senate Bill 38 has now been re-incarnated on the House side as HB 3551. Thanks to the many Senators and Representatives who helped to achieve this transformation! We still have no news on committee assignments or hearing schedules, but we’ll keep you posted. The bill has changed slightly, and can be viewed online.
The big change is in the percentages of the fee that will be allocated to the four categories of uses we agreed on. The percentage to homeownership has now increased to 13.25%. The percentage to homeless programs remains at 10%, and capacity building at 6%. Multi-family rental housing has decreased to 70.75%.
We continue to be encouraged by the overwhelming level of support we have throughout the legislature for increasing funds for affordable housing. Governor Kulongoski spoke about the Alliance proposal to the state Housing Conference last week, and has pledged his support as well.
Our bill will eventually end up in Ways and Means. This is the committee that will also decide on the rest of the Housing and Community Services Department, and the additional funds that we hope to get from Lottery proceeds and the General Fund. The bill that continues the public purpose charge allocation to affordable housing is moving smoothly through the Legislature.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Ways and Means support for our agenda is CRITICAL. Please contact the member of Ways and Means member that represents your home or work. Send an e-mail outlining the need for affordable housing in your area and tell them what increased funds for housing will mean in your community.
Committee Members:
Senator Kurt Schrader, Co-Chair
Representative Mary Nolan, Co-Chair
Sen. Margaret Carter, Vice-Chair
Rep. Nancy Nathanson, Vice-Chair
Sen. Alan C Batessen
Sen. Richard Devlin
Sen. Avel Gordly
Sen. Betsy Johnson
Sen. Frank Morse
Sen. David Nelson
Sen. Joanne Verger
Sen. Ben Westlund
Sen. Doug Whitsett
Sen. Jackie Winters
Rep. David Edwards
Rep. Larry Galizio
Rep. Bill Garrard
Rep. Bruce L Hanna
Rep. Bob Jenson
Rep. Susan Morgan
Rep. Chip Shields
Tenant Protections in Condo Conversions: HB 3186
An amended version of this bill passed unanimously out of the House Consumer Protection Committee on Friday!, The amended version still offers great protection for tenants forced to move because of a condominium conversion. The version of the bill that passed from committee now has no organized opposition, so is expected to pass easily.
HB 3186 offers tenants real protections, including:
- Providing tenants affected by Condo Conversion meaningful 120-day notice by:
- Prohibiting developers from using "no-cause" evictions or drastic rent increases to clear outbuildings in order to avoid the notice requirements in statute, and
- Prohibiting "no-cause" evictions and drastic rent increases intended to force tenants out during the required 120-day notice period in state statute.
- Prohibiting developers from using "no-cause" evictions or drastic rent increases to clear outbuildings in order to avoid the notice requirements in statute, and
- Limiting construction hours in common areas and ensuring tenants safe entry and exit from their units.
- Giving tenants a meaningful opportunity to purchase their unit
If you have questions or would like mor information on HB 3186 please contact Amy Fauver or Ian Slingerland.
Inclusionary Zoning – Lift the pre-emption: HB 3284
This is also being heard in House Consumer Protection. Monday is the last day for it to move out of committee, and we’ll let you know what happens!
Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit: Expansion of Uses SB 984 A-Engrossed
This bill passed from Senate Business to Senate Finance and Revenue, where it had its first hearing Tuesday April 24. It was well received by the Committee, as it allows the use of the OAHTC to respond to the two critical issues of manufactured home park closures and preservation of subsidized housing. It will be scheduled for a work session soon.
Express Provision for Affordability Covenants: HB 3485
This bill has passed out of House Consumer Protection and will soon move to the House floor. It has no opposition.
Want more information on the Housing Alliance? Go to http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org.
For a full archive of Housing Alliance Weekly Updates, go to http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org/updates_archive.html
For information on the 2005 Legislative Session, click here.
Please email or call us with questions or ideas for how we can best keep you informed. Contact Amy Fauver or Michael Anderson.
