Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon#
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) is a nonprofit interfaith organization based in Portland, founded in 1974 through the merger of the Oregon Council of Churches and the Portland Council of Churches.1 EMO brings together diverse communities of faith to learn, serve, and advocate for justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.2
EMO engages in Oregon housing policy through both direct service programs and statewide legislative advocacy. Its housing-related programs include Second Home, which connects unaccompanied homeless youth with volunteer host families,3 and Metro HomeShare, which matches homeowners who have spare rooms with people seeking affordable housing.4 The organization maintains a consistent presence at the Oregon Legislature, with “Sheltering the Houseless” as one of its core legislative priorities.5
Policy Positions#
- Youth homelessness: Advocates for increased state funding for services and housing for the roughly 3,700 Oregon youth who are homeless and separated from their families, including making youth homelessness programs permanent.5
- Affordable housing on faith community land: Supports legislation enabling faith communities, tribal governments, and housing authorities to access loans and grants for predevelopment costs to convert underutilized property into affordable housing.6
- Home sharing: Promotes home-sharing programs as a way to increase affordable housing options, connecting homeowners with renters through its Metro HomeShare program in partnership with Portland’s Housing Bureau.4
- Tenant protections: Supports rent stabilization measures and banning rental applicant screening fees to reduce barriers for low-income renters.7
- Emergency shelter siting: Supports allowing emergency shelters to be sited by qualifying entities notwithstanding local land use restrictions.8
- Housing production and accountability: Supported HB 2001 (2023), which established the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis and created housing production accountability mechanisms for cities.9
Key Legislative Involvement#
- HB 4136 (2026): Testified neutral on a bill to disallow mortgage interest deductions for second homes and redirect revenue to down payment assistance.
- HB 3079 (2025): Supported legislation requiring the Department of Human Services to update its cost estimates for implementing youth homelessness programs and to study options for reducing youth aging into adult homelessness.
- HB 2967 (2025): Supported a bill to prohibit residential landlords from charging applicant screening fees.
- HB 4079 (2024): Supported a bill to provide additional State School Fund weight for students experiencing homelessness.
- HB 2001 (2023): Testified multiple times in support of the comprehensive housing production bill, which established the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis, created housing production dashboards, and made youth homelessness programs permanent.
- HB 2456 (2023): Supported legislation to expand eligibility for youth homelessness services and make the host home project program permanent.
- SB 611 (2023): Supported capping annual rent increases for residential tenancies.
- HB 4013 (2022): Supported expanding eligibility for foster care benefits to unaccompanied homeless youth, a bill EMO helped advocate for through its public policy work.10
- HB 2006 (2021): Supported emergency shelter siting reform, which required local governments to allow qualifying emergency shelters notwithstanding land use regulations.
News Coverage
| Article | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Portland Offers $1,000 to Homeowners Who Rent Spare Rooms for 12 Months | Willamette Week | March 3, 2026 |
Legislative Testimony
2026
1 testimony
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 4136 Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, a mortgage interest deduction for a residence other than the taxpayer's principal residence, unless the taxpayer sells the residence or actively markets the residence for sale. |
Keenan Moore | Neutral | 2026-02-16 |
2025
13 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 3970 Modifies the list of persons who may receive services and assistance funded by the Emergency Housing Account. |
Edward Buck-Shannon | Support | 2025-06-04 |
| HB 3974 Limits the applicant screening charge a residential landlord may collect to $20. |
Edward Buck-Shannon | Support | 2025-06-03 |
| HB 3970 Modifies the list of persons who may receive services and assistance funded by the Emergency Housing Account. |
Roberta Badger-Cain | Support | 2025-06-03 |
| HB 3054 Fixes at six percent maximum rent increases for rental spaces in a larger facility beginning in 2026. |
Edward Buck-Shannon | Support | 2025-05-07 |
| HB 5011 Appropriates moneys from the General Fund to the Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses. |
Edward Buck-Shannon | Support | 2025-03-27 |
| SB 599 Prohibits landlords from inquiring about or discriminating on the basis of a tenant's or applicant's immigration or citizenship status, rejecting an applicant based on the type of identifying documentation or disclosing or threatening disclosure of an applicant's or a tenant's immigration or citizenship status for improper purposes. |
Edward Buck-Shannon | Support | 2025-03-07 |
| HB 3507 Requires the Housing and Community Services Department to amend specified down payment assistance programs to increase eligibility by January 1, 2026. |
Edward Buck-Shannon | Support | 2025-02-21 |
| HB 2698 Establishes a statewide goal for homeownership. |
Edward Buck-Shannon | Support | 2025-02-21 |
| HB 3527 Establishes the Public Drinking Water, Stormwater and Sewer Ratepayer Assistance Fund. |
Britt Conroy | Support | 2025-02-17 |
| HB 2967 Prohibits residential landlords from charging an applicant screening charge. |
Britt Conroy | Support | 2025-02-17 |
| HB 2698 Establishes a statewide goal for homeownership. |
Patti Whitney-Wise | Support | 2025-02-12 |
| HB 3079 Requires the Department of Human Services to update its 2022 estimate of costs to implement youth experiencing homelessness programs. |
Beverly Jackson | Support | 2025-02-12 |
| HB 3079 Requires the Department of Human Services to update its 2022 estimate of costs to implement youth experiencing homelessness programs. |
Eduardo Diaz | Support | 2025-02-11 |
2024
1 testimony
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 4079 Removes the percentage cap on the amount of moneys that are distributed from the State School Fund to school districts for students eligible for special education as children with disabilities. |
Britt Conroy | Support | 2024-02-06 |
2023
19 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 611 Caps annual rent increases for residential tenancies. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-06-21 |
| HB 3459 Extends sunset for requirement that Public Utility Commission provide, through rates charged to all customers of electric companies, collection of moneys for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance. |
Julia Weinand | Support | 2023-03-28 |
| HB 3462 Provides that, if certain state agencies provide temporary housing to displaced individuals in response to emergency, agencies shall ensure housing is safe and provided in compliance with state and federal laws relating to discrimination. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-03-23 |
| HB 3482 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to award grants for predevelopment costs of affordable housing and grant to assist nonprofits receiving grants or loans under Act. |
Britt Conroy | Support | 2023-03-21 |
| SB 868 Requires designated state agency in carrying out program related to promotion, implementation, incentivization or regulation of energy efficiency in buildings to align, improve and prioritize certain actions to aid in achieving greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. |
Cherice Bock | Support | 2023-03-18 |
| SB 869 Directs Department of Consumer and Business Services to exercise any and all authority and discretion department has under applicable law to facilitate greenhouse gas emission reductions consistent with statewide goals, to take such actions as are necessary to accelerate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, including rulemaking, and to consider and integrate into department's planning, budgeting, investment and policy-making decisions prevention or reduction of impacts from climate change. |
Cherice Bock | Support | 2023-03-18 |
| SB 847 Allows affordable housing on lands zoned for commercial uses within urban growth boundaries. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-03-16 |
| HB 2001 Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis in Oregon Department of Administrative Services. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-02-28 |
| HB 3166 Requires State Department of Energy, in consultation with Housing and Community Services Department, to establish whole-home energy savings program and high-efficiency electric home rebate program. |
Cherice Bock | Support | 2023-02-23 |
| HB 2001 Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis in Oregon Department of Administrative Services. |
Kim Wagner | Unknown | 2023-02-15 |
| HB 2001 Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis in Oregon Department of Administrative Services. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-02-15 |
| HB 2001 Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis in Oregon Department of Administrative Services. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-02-15 |
| HB 2001 Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis in Oregon Department of Administrative Services. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-02-15 |
| HB 2001 Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis in Oregon Department of Administrative Services. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-02-15 |
| HB 2456 Modifies emergency housing assistance program and state homeless assistance program to provide services and assistance to school-aged children experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-02-01 |
| HB 2456 Modifies emergency housing assistance program and state homeless assistance program to provide services and assistance to school-aged children experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-02-01 |
| HB 2456 Modifies emergency housing assistance program and state homeless assistance program to provide services and assistance to school-aged children experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-02-01 |
| HB 2456 Modifies emergency housing assistance program and state homeless assistance program to provide services and assistance to school-aged children experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. |
Kim Wagner | Support | 2023-02-01 |
| SB 496 Amends allowable purposes of Emergency Housing Account to include account moneys to be used for grants to assist companion animals of individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. |
Britt Conroy | Support | 2023-01-26 |
2022
4 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 1539 Establishes pilot program to provide funding to school districts for purposes of increasing access to schools by homeless students and improving academic achievement of homeless students. |
Michael Ciccarello | Support | 2022-02-04 |
| HB 4058 Directs Oregon Health Authority to create program to acquire and distribute air conditioners and air filters on emergency basis to individuals eligible for medical assistance. |
Kelly Hogan | Support | 2022-02-03 |
| SB 1536 Limits restrictions on portable cooling devices in residences by landlords, homeowners associations, condominium associations and local governments. |
Kelly Hogan | Unknown | 2022-02-03 |
| HB 4013 Modifies eligibility requirements for organizations that may receive grants from unaccompanied homeless youth grant program. |
Jennifer Steinbrenner Hale | Support | 2022-02-01 |
2021
12 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 278 Requires landlords and courts to delay termination of residential tenancies for nonpayment for 60 days if tenant provides documentation of application for rental assistance. |
Olivia Asato | Support | 2021-06-14 |
| SB 852 Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, mortgage interest deduction for residence other than taxpayer's principal residence, unless taxpayer sells residence or actively markets residence for sale. |
Britt Conroy | Support | 2021-05-13 |
| HB 2367 Establishes Oregon Right to Rest Act. |
Olivia Asato | Support | 2021-04-13 |
| SB 271 Extends sunset until January 2, 2024, for program authorizing Department of Justice to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault with housing needs. |
Olivia Asato | Support | 2021-04-06 |
| HB 2578 Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, mortgage interest deduction for residence other than taxpayer's principal residence, unless taxpayer sells residence or actively markets residence for sale. |
Britt Conroy | Support | 2021-03-16 |
| HB 3115 Provides that local law regulating sitting, lying, sleeping or keeping warm and dry outdoors on public property that is open to public must be objectively reasonable as to time, place and manner with regards to persons experiencing homelessness. |
Olivia Asato | Support | 2021-03-10 |
| SB 288 Transfers duties to maintain system for notification and interagency coordination of state resources in response to emergencies from Department of State Police to Oregon Department of Administrative Services. |
Aaron Salzman | Support | 2021-03-05 |
| SB 282 Extends grace period for repayment of residential rent accrued during emergency period of April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, until February 28, 2022. |
Olivia Asato | Support | 2021-03-03 |
| HB 2163 Establishes long-term rental assistance program in Housing and Community Services Department operating in three to four regions. |
Ella Burke | Support | 2021-02-24 |
| HB 2006 Defines "emergency shelter." Requires local governments to allow siting of qualifying emergency shelters by qualifying entities notwithstanding land use laws and regulations. |
Ella Burke | Support | 2021-02-23 |
| HB 2842 Establishes Healthy Homes Program within the Oregon Health Authority to provide grants to entities to provide financial assistance to low income households and landlords. |
Aaron Salzman | Support | 2021-02-12 |
| HB 2180 Requires Director of Department of Consumer and Business Services to amend state building code to require that new construction of certain buildings include provisions for electrical service capacity for specified percentage of parking spaces. |
Aaron Salzman | Support | 2021-02-04 |