Central Oregon Builders Association

https://www.coba.org

Central Oregon Builders Association#

The Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA) is a 501(c)(6) trade association chartered in 1972 to represent the building industry in Central Oregon.¹ Based in Bend, COBA serves over 700 member companies including builders, subcontractors, and suppliers across Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, and surrounding counties.²

COBA advocates at the local and state level on land use policy, building codes, development fees, and housing affordability. The organization is particularly active on system development charges (SDCs) and permitting processes that affect the cost and pace of residential construction in Central Oregon’s fast-growing communities.³ Morgan Greenwood, Vice President of Government Affairs, serves as COBA’s primary legislative representative.⁴

Policy Positions#

• System development charges: Challenges SDC increases that raise the cost of new housing, and advocates for SDC methodologies that reflect actual infrastructure costs rather than aspirational project lists.³
• Permitting reform: Supports streamlined and time-limited permitting processes to reduce delays in residential construction.⁵
• Housing affordability: Advocates for reducing regulatory barriers and development fees that add to the cost of new homes, particularly workforce housing.²
• Land use and UGB policy: Supports policies that ensure adequate buildable land supply within urban growth boundaries for residential development.⁶
• Construction defect liability reform: Supports reducing the statute of limitations for construction defect claims in planned communities and condominiums to encourage builders to construct more attached housing.[^7]

Key Legislative Involvement#

• HB 3414 (2023): Testified on Governor Kotek’s housing production bill, which would have required local governments to approve certain adjustments to land use regulations for housing development and established a Housing Accountability and Production Office.⁵
• Construction defect and permitting reform (2025): Testified on several bills aimed at reducing barriers to residential construction, including HB 3746 (construction defect statute of limitations), SB 974 (permitting timelines), and SB 967 (local improvement agreements within UGBs).⁶
• SDC advocacy (local): Has challenged SDC increases at the city level, including threatening legal action against Redmond over its revised SDC methodology and advocating for Bend to tailor residential SDCs to stimulate home building.³

News Coverage

No news coverage found for this organization.

Legislative Testimony

2025

1 testimony

2023

1 testimony