Habitat for Humanity of Oregon
Habitat for Humanity of Oregon#
Habitat for Humanity of Oregon is a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 that serves as the statewide support organization for 24 local Habitat for Humanity affiliates across Oregon.1 Based in Portland, the organization provides fundraising, training, disaster preparedness, and advocacy support to its affiliates, which build and repair homes for families with low to moderate incomes.2
The organization has become an influential voice in Oregon housing policy, particularly on issues related to affordable homeownership, middle housing, and land use reform. Under the leadership of Executive Director Shannon Vilhauer, who joined in 2013, Habitat Oregon became a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in 2018.3 The organization actively lobbies the Oregon Legislature and coordinates testimony from its network of local affiliates on housing-related bills.
Policy Positions#
- Affordable homeownership: Advocates for increased state investment in programs that expand homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income Oregonians, including down payment assistance and Individual Development Accounts (IDAs).4
- Middle housing and land division: Supports zoning reforms that allow middle housing types such as duplexes, triplexes, and cottage clusters, and streamlined land division processes that create entry-level homeownership opportunities.5
- System development charge (SDC) reform: Advocates for reducing or exempting SDCs for affordable housing, citing costs of $15,000 to $50,000 per unit as a significant barrier to affordable home construction.6
- Housing production funding: Supports increased state and local investment in land acquisition, construction, and housing preservation, with dedicated funding for culturally specific and culturally responsive organizations.2
- Racial equity in homeownership: Centers housing justice and racial equity in its policy work, advocating for measures that address Oregon’s racial homeownership disparities rooted in the state’s history of exclusionary housing policies.7
- Construction defect liability reform: Supports reforms to condominium construction defect statutes of limitations to encourage development of for-sale attached housing.8
Key Legislative Involvement#
- HB 4136 (2026): Testified in support of redirecting the mortgage interest deduction for second homes into a new Oregon Homeownership Opportunity Account for down payment assistance, mobilizing testimony from multiple local affiliates.9
- HB 2698 (2025): Supported the establishment of a statewide homeownership goal of 65 percent, with extensive testimony from Habitat affiliates across the state urging the Legislature to track homeownership progress by demographic group.10
- HB 3507 (2025): Testified in support of expanding eligibility for OHCS down payment assistance programs to reach moderate-income households.11
- HB 3746 (2025): Supported reforms to construction defect liability statutes to reduce barriers to condominium development, with testimony from multiple affiliates.8
- HB 5011 (2025): Testified in support of housing-related budget appropriations, advocating for continued investment in affordable housing programs.12
- HB 2001 (2023): Supported the comprehensive housing production and accountability bill as part of a broad coalition that included 1000 Friends of Oregon, AARP Oregon, and the Oregon Home Builders Association.13
- SB 936 (2023): Testified in support of grants for affordable single-family homeownership development and modifications to the Affordable Housing Land Acquisition Revolving Loan Program, with testimony from multiple local affiliates including Newberg Area Habitat and Habitat for Humanity of La Pine Sunriver.14
- SB 458 (2021): Co-led the effort with the Oregon Home Builders Association to pass this bill, which was introduced at the request of Habitat for Humanity. SB 458 created a streamlined land division process for middle housing types allowed under HB 2001 (2019), passing with overwhelming bipartisan support (25-4 in the Senate, 54-2 in the House).5
- HB 2283 (2021): Testified in support of Individual Development Account funding, coordinating testimony from Habitat affiliates including Habitat Portland Region and Habitat for Humanity of Central Lane.15
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Find Your Local Habitat, Habitat for Humanity of Oregon ↩︎
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Mission and Vision, Habitat for Humanity of Oregon ↩︎ ↩︎
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Meet the team: Shannon, Habitat for Humanity of Oregon ↩︎
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2024 Legislative Priorities, Habitat for Humanity of Oregon ↩︎
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Press Release: SB 458 passes Oregon Legislature, Habitat for Humanity of Oregon ↩︎ ↩︎
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What are SDCs and why do they matter for affordable homeownership?, Habitat for Humanity Portland Region ↩︎
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Oregon’s housing history and our mission at Habitat, Habitat for Humanity Portland Region ↩︎
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OLIS testimony records, HB 4136 (2026) ↩︎
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OLIS testimony records, HB 2698 (2025) ↩︎
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OLIS testimony records, HB 3507 (2025) ↩︎
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OLIS testimony records, HB 5011 (2025) ↩︎
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OLIS testimony records, HB 2001 (2023) ↩︎
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OLIS testimony records, SB 936 (2023) ↩︎
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OLIS testimony records, HB 2283 (2021) ↩︎
News Coverage
No news coverage found for this organization.
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. |
Shannon Tennant | Support | 2026-02-13 |
2025
3 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 3809 Establishes a quarterly allocation of lottery moneys to the Housing and Community Services Department for the individual development account program. |
Megan Parrott | Support | 2025-03-24 |
| HB 3507 Requires the Housing and Community Services Department to amend specified down payment assistance programs to increase eligibility by January 1, 2026. |
Gina Valencia | Support | 2025-02-21 |
| HB 2698 Establishes a statewide goal for homeownership. |
Gina Valencia | Support | 2025-02-21 |
2024
2 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 1530 Appropriates moneys to and modifies expenditure limitations for the Housing and Community Services Department, Oregon Health Authority, Department of Human Services, State Department of Energy, Oregon Business Development Department, Department of Transportation, Water Resources Department and Oregon Department of Administrative Services for various programs. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2024-02-12 |
| SB 1537 Requires the Department of Land Conservation and Development and the Department of Consumer and Business Services to jointly establish and administer the Housing Accountability and Production Office. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2024-02-07 |
2023
10 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 611 Caps annual rent increases for residential tenancies. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-06-21 |
| SB 976 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. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-04-18 |
| HB 3487 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to report to Legislative Assembly on homeownership disparities by September 15 of each even-numbered year. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-03-17 |
| HB 3492 Directs Housing and Community Services Department by rule to establish and implement pilot program through which department cooperates with qualified lending institutions to provide 100 percent financing for residential property purchases to persons who qualify for special purpose credit programs. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-03-17 |
| SB 847 Allows affordable housing on lands zoned for commercial uses within urban growth boundaries. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-03-15 |
| SB 936 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to provide grants to developers of single-family homes made available for affordable homeownership. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-03-12 |
| SB 5511 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses and for debt service. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-03-02 |
| SB 5511 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses and for debt service. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-03-02 |
| HB 2001 Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis in Oregon Department of Administrative Services. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-02-13 |
| SB 799 Requires residential landlords to extend notice periods for terminations of tenancy based on nonpayment of rent and to include additional notices. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2023-01-31 |
2021
19 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 458 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-05-03 |
| 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. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-04-26 |
| HB 2009 Establishes temporary limitations on lenders' remedies for borrowers' failures to make payments on obligations secured by mortgages, trust deeds or land sale contracts for certain real property. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-04-14 |
| SB 458 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Megan Parrott | Support | 2021-03-31 |
| 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. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-03-29 |
| HB 2007 Allows Department of Consumer and Business Services to require implicit bias training for mortgage loan originators. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-03-29 |
| HB 5011 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses and for debt service. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-03-28 |
| HB 3335 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to grant moneys to nonprofit organization for ADU community pilot programs that develop accessory dwelling units for income-eligible homeowners and that are available for lease by income-eligible tenants. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-03-24 |
| HB 3275 Exempts land owned by eligible covenant holder that is burdened by affordable housing covenant, requiring affordability for at least 99 years, from ad valorem property taxation if improvements on land constitute owner-occupied housing. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-03-24 |
| SB 8 Requires local governments to allow development of certain affordable housing on lands not zoned for residential uses. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-03-16 |
| 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. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-03-10 |
| HB 2551 Extends and modifies tax credits for donations for individual development accounts. |
Megan Parrott | Support | 2021-03-09 |
| 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. |
Reianna DaRosa | Support | 2021-03-04 |
| HB 2009 Establishes temporary limitations on lenders' remedies for borrowers' failures to make payments on obligations secured by mortgages, trust deeds or land sale contracts for certain real property. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-03-03 |
| 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. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-03-03 |
| SB 458 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-02-18 |
| 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. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-02-11 |
| HB 2283 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Megan Parrott | Support | 2021-02-01 |
| HB 2283 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Shannon Vilhauer | Support | 2021-01-27 |