What to expect: Ways & Means Road Show Edition

Every two years, the Ways & Means Committee of the Oregon Legislature sets a budget for the coming two-year period. The process is long and complex, but it begins with two things: First, an understanding of how much money is available to spend, Second, a proposal known as the “Co-Chairs’ Budget”, and Third, an opportunity…

Continue Reading →

We Need More Homes…And Stable Ones

As we build new homes, we must be sure that families remain in theirs. A stable home that they can afford gives families the foundation for success. Kids can succeed in school, parents can remain stable in their jobs, and people’s health stabilizes and improves when Oregonians have safe, stable, and affordable places to call…

Continue Reading →

Thoughts from the Housing Alliance on the Existing Resources Budget Framework

The Oregon Housing Alliance believes that we must come together to meet the needs of the people impacted by the housing crisis, and lay a foundation of opportunity for every Oregonian—through good budget cycles and bad. The need to create this opportunity is even more dire as our affordable housing crisis is hurting families and…

Continue Reading →

Governor’s Budget highlights the need to invest in home for Oregonians

Today, Governor Kate Brown released her budget for the 2017-19 biennium. The budget included a substantial and needed investment in both new and existing affordable housing that will build or preserve 1,500 homes across the state. This is an important first step to begin to address the crisis we are facing in every corner of…

Continue Reading →

Three months to go until the 2017 Legislative session

The 2017 Legislative session is now less than three short months away. The Housing Alliance’s 2017 Housing Opportunity Agenda is nearly finalized, and we want to give you an update on our proposals and share the inside story on how we’ve gotten to where we are. The who, what, and how of Housing Alliance agenda-setting in…

Continue Reading →

The Housing Alliance is gearing up for 2017 Legislative Session

Fall is nearly here, and the 2017 Legislative session is just five short months away. The Housing Alliance’s 2017 Housing Opportunity Agenda is taking shape, and we want to give you an update on our proposals and share the inside story on how we’ve gotten to where we are. The who, what, and how of Housing…

Continue Reading →

Matthew Desmond’s ‘Evicted’ and the Solutions within Oregon’s Reach

Cross-posted from Neighborhood Partnerships’ blog. Matthew Desmond’s groundbreaking new book, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, uses the stories of Milwaukee, Wisconsin tenants living in poverty, their families, and their landlords, to illustrate the harsh and devastating consequences of eviction. Desmond also points us towards next steps. As he says, “a different kind…

Continue Reading →

Out of Reach 2016 Shows Oregon’s Rents Continue to Rise as Housing Crisis Continues

We know that everyone needs a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home. But according to the Out of Reach 2016 report just released Wednesday, renters need to earn $19.38 per hour — an increase of nearly $3 in one year—to comfortably afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment. Combined with a huge number of no-cause…

Continue Reading →

Envisioning the Future of the Housing Alliance

Oregon is at a critical juncture for housing opportunity, as communities in every part of the state face unprecedented challenges, including skyrocketing rents and home prices, record low vacancy rates, and thousands of Oregonians, including children, experiencing homelessness. The 2016 session may have just ended, but it’s already time to develop our legislative priorities and…

Continue Reading →

We Did It! 2016 Legislative Session Wrap Up

We came in to 2016 calling for bold action on housing opportunity. Communities throughout the state face unprecedented barriers to housing stability, and we selected a slate of policy and funding priorities to comprehensively address these challenges. Many of these bills changed throughout the process, requiring flexible and dynamic responses. In the end, a number of…

Continue Reading →