Oregon Housing and Community Services
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is the state agency responsible for administering Oregon’s affordable housing programs and funding. OHCS finances the construction and preservation of affordable rental housing, provides down payment assistance and homebuyer education, manages the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program, and coordinates federal housing resources for the state.
OHCS plays a central role in implementing legislative housing priorities and frequently provides testimony on housing legislation to inform lawmakers about programmatic and fiscal impacts.
News Coverage
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Legislative Testimony
2025
2 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 814 Modifies eligibility criteria for the long-term rental assistance program for certain individuals under 25 years of age. |
Casey Houlihan | Support | 2025-04-16 |
| HB 3035 Expands Housing and Community Services Department authority regarding homeownership housing projects and lending. |
Nathan Clark | Support | 2025-02-05 |
2024
1 testimony
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 1501 Modifies permissible purposes for amounts held in the Long-Term Rent Assistance Fund. |
Leann Knapp | Support | 2024-03-05 |
2023
7 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 892 Amends statutes relating to housing laws and to authority of Housing and Community Services Department and Oregon Housing Stability Council, including changes to department's procurement authority and ability to provide down payment assistance. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2023-05-08 |
| SB 893 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to take actions to implement recommendations from 2021 Task Force on Homelessness and Racial Disparities. |
Leann Knapp | Support | 2023-04-20 |
| HB 2653 Creates credit against income taxes for selling publicly supported housing to retain as affordable housing. |
Nicole Stingh | Neutral | 2023-04-09 |
| SB 893 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to take actions to implement recommendations from 2021 Task Force on Homelessness and Racial Disparities. |
Leann Knapp | Support | 2023-03-17 |
| SB 893 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to take actions to implement recommendations from 2021 Task Force on Homelessness and Racial Disparities. |
Leann Knapp | Support | 2023-03-17 |
| HB 3215 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to support replacement, reconstruction or rehabilitation of residential units damaged or destroyed by disaster and to support recovery of residents of such housing. |
Alexandra Ring | Support | 2023-03-06 |
| SB 5511 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses and for debt service. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2023-03-02 |
2022
2 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 4064 Prohibits local governments from prohibiting siting of prefabricated structures in all residential zones. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2022-02-21 |
| HB 4051 Extends sunset of Task Force on Homelessness and Racial Disparities until January 2, 2026. |
Nicole Stingh | Unknown | 2022-02-10 |
2021
27 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 2096 Increases maximum agriculture workforce housing tax credits issued by Housing and Community Services Department to $16.75 million per biennium. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-06-03 |
| HB 3315 Directs Housing and Community Services Department to study issues relating to building in areas affected by wildfires and report to appropriate committee or interim committee of Legislative Assembly on or before September 15, 2022. |
Nicole Stingh | Unknown | 2021-05-27 |
| SB 79 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to provide grants and technical assistance to organizations increasing homeownership program access to persons of color. |
Emese Perfecto | Support | 2021-05-12 |
| SB 79 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to provide grants and technical assistance to organizations increasing homeownership program access to persons of color. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-05-10 |
| SB 5534 Modifies amount of lottery bonds authorized to be issued for specified state agencies. |
Margaret Salazar | Support | 2021-05-07 |
| HB 2095 Aligns timing of extension of affordability restriction for publicly supported housing with timing for sending notices. |
Julie Cody | Support | 2021-04-23 |
| HB 2101 Clarifies that all housing authorities must participate in Housing Choice Landlord Guarantee Program. |
Andrea Bell | Support | 2021-04-23 |
| HB 2094 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to define "veteran" by rule for Oregon Housing Fund programs. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-04-20 |
| HB 2095 Aligns timing of extension of affordability restriction for publicly supported housing with timing for sending notices. |
Julie Cody | Support | 2021-04-20 |
| HB 2101 Clarifies that all housing authorities must participate in Housing Choice Landlord Guarantee Program. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-04-20 |
| HB 3218 Expands allowable uses for Housing and Community Services Department's manufactured dwelling programs to support dwellings and parks destroyed by natural disaster. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-04-19 |
| HB 2094 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to define "veteran" by rule for Oregon Housing Fund programs. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-04-19 |
| HB 2094 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to define "veteran" by rule for Oregon Housing Fund programs. |
Gus Bedwell | Neutral | 2021-04-14 |
| HB 5011 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses and for debt service. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-03-29 |
| HB 2096 Increases maximum agriculture workforce housing tax credits issued by Housing and Community Services Department to $16.75 million per biennium. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-03-25 |
| HB 2100 Amends Housing and Community Services Department's distribution of Emergency Housing Account funds and administration of federal anti-poverty programs. |
Margaret Salazar | Support | 2021-03-03 |
| HB 2100 Amends Housing and Community Services Department's distribution of Emergency Housing Account funds and administration of federal anti-poverty programs. |
Margaret Salazar | Support | 2021-03-02 |
| HB 2006 Defines "emergency shelter." Requires local governments to allow siting of qualifying emergency shelters by qualifying entities notwithstanding land use laws and regulations. |
Nicole Stingh | Unknown | 2021-02-23 |
| HB 2100 Amends Housing and Community Services Department's distribution of Emergency Housing Account funds and administration of federal anti-poverty programs. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-02-22 |
| HB 2100 Amends Housing and Community Services Department's distribution of Emergency Housing Account funds and administration of federal anti-poverty programs. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-02-22 |
| HB 2100 Amends Housing and Community Services Department's distribution of Emergency Housing Account funds and administration of federal anti-poverty programs. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-02-22 |
| SB 79 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to provide grants and technical assistance to organizations increasing homeownership program access to persons of color. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-02-12 |
| SB 82 Establishes Individual Development Account Fund. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-02-05 |
| SB 82 Establishes Individual Development Account Fund. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-02-03 |
| HB 2094 Authorizes Housing and Community Services Department to define "veteran" by rule for Oregon Housing Fund programs. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-02-01 |
| HB 2096 Increases maximum agriculture workforce housing tax credits issued by Housing and Community Services Department to $16.75 million per biennium. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-01-26 |
| HB 2101 Clarifies that all housing authorities must participate in Housing Choice Landlord Guarantee Program. |
Nicole Stingh | Support | 2021-01-26 |