The 2022 Housing Opportunity Agenda 

The 2022 Legislature took action to help Oregonians achieve housing stability. These proposals were the Housing Alliance's recommendations to support more Oregonians to access opportunity through safe, stable, and affordable housing.

Racial Disparities in Homelessness (HB 4051): In 2021, the Legislature created the Task Force on Homelessness and Racial Disparities. In 2022, the Legislature should extend the critical work of this Task Force, and ask for additional reports which will focus on the operationalization their initial recommendations. Result: Passed! HB 4051 was passed by the Legislature!

Preservation Capital Gains Tax Credit (HB 4043): Across Oregon, we need to maintain our supply of existing affordable housing, and reinvestment is needed to maintain safe, stable, and affordable homes. Additional tools are needed to maintain this housing. HB 4043 creates a tax credit to incentivize the sale of affordable housing to a preservation minded buyer, in order to maintain the housing as affordable. Result: This bill did not pass in the 2022 Legislative session.

Preservation Tenant Based Assistance (SB 1557): Across Oregon, there are dozens of properties whose use restrictions may expire in the coming decade. Some of these properties were financed with Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and may be converted to market rate housing upon expiration of the use restrictions. Over the years, the Legislature in Oregon has put in place laws in order to maintain these buildings as affordable housing. Despite our best efforts, some of these properties will convert to market rate, and tenants will be at risk of displacement.  This proposal would create a pilot program to put in place a small rental subsidy to provide assistance to tenants to offset the cost of rent increases. This assistance would only be available to existing tenants while they remain in the unit, and would fund assistance for two properties - one in Washington County, and one in Marion County. Result: This bill did not pass in the 2022 Legislative session.

Rent assistance for affordable housing providers (Budget Request): People across Oregon have been impacted by COVID - job losses, school closures, reduced hours, increased expenses - which has severely and negatively impacted people’s ability to pay their rent or mortgage. For residents of affordable housing with low incomes, their low incomes leaves them less able to pay for their rent when facing a job loss or increased expenses. Affordable housing providers operate with an extremely limited ability to cover rent losses, and have a mission to help people maintain their housing. The Legislature should provide $15 million so affordable housing providers can alleviate rent debt for residents of affordable housing. Result: This budget request was not included in the housing package passed by the 2022 Legislature.

Governor Brown’s $400 million Housing investment package (HB 5202, Budget Request): In 2022, Governor Brown and OHCS are proposing a package of investments for consideration by the 2022 Legislature. Result: Success! The Legislature put together a $400 million package for housing and homelessness that reflected many of the Governor's priorities. Included in HB 5202 was:

• $80 million to address homelessness statewide, including: $30 million to prevent homelessness, and $50 million to address homelessness. These resources will go to OHCS and be distributed through a network of community action agencies and community based organizations.
• $50 million to Project Turnkey. Project Turnkey helps provide acquisition money to acquire motels to turn into temporary shelters and eventually, permanent housing.
• $25 million to local governments to address homelessness. These funds will go to Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Washington County, and the cities of Beaverton, Hillsboro, Eugene, Bend, Medford, and Salem.
• The package also includes $8 million in HB 4123, $1.2 million in HB 4013, and $500,000 to OHCS to support the development of an Interagency Council on Homelessness, and Built for Zero matching Grants.
• $65 million to preserve and maintain existing affordable housing;
• $35 million for smaller scale affordable housing in rural communities through the small projects NOFA;
• $20 million to match with LIFT for Homeownership to fill gaps;
• $50 million to support affordable housing struggling with construction cost escalation and supply chain disruptions;
• $35 million for manufactured housing, including $20 million to help acquire new manufactured home parks, and $15 million to seed the development of a new manufactured housing construction factory;
• $10 million to support land acquisition for affordable housing;
• $15 million to support homeownership centers and manufactured housing through Community Dispute Resolution Centers; and
• $5 million to Hacienda CDC to launch a first time homebuyer downpayment assistance program.

In addition, the Housing Alliance endorsed several proposals in 2022.