Approved: Senate passes Affordable Housing, Emergency Homelessness Response

Affordable Housing and Emergency Homelessness Response Package,

House Bills 2001 and 5019, have passed the Oregon Senate with bipartisan support, following passage in the Oregon House.

What House Bill 2001 and House Bill 5019 will do:

• Fund the governor’s homelessness state of emergency to allow for a statewide and coordinated response to homelessness ($130 million)

• Extend homelessness support to rural and coastal Oregon ($27 million)

• Provide support for homeless youth by connecting them with rental assistance, shelter, culturally specific services and health care ($25 million)

• Increase production of affordable modular housing in Oregon ($20 million)

• Improve on-site workforce housing for farmworkers ($5 million)

• Grant renters faced with eviction for non-payment more time to access rental assistance and other services

• Make affordable housing production the state’s top planning priority and ensure the state will work with local partners to identify effective strategies and tools to increase production

“The Senate and the entire Legislature should be proud of what we achieved with this package,” Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) said. “Faced with a statewide housing and homelessness crisis, we worked across the aisle and with our partners in the House and Governor's office to put Oregon on a path toward a future where housing is available and affordable for everyone.”

House Bill 2001 and House Bill 5019 commit more than $200 million toward increasing Oregon’s housing supply, helping rehouse and shelter people experiencing homelessness and preventing future homelessness. 

The package addresses the immediate needs facing Oregon communities and lays the groundwork for long-term solutions, Wagner said.

Sen. Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City), was a co-chief sponsor of HB 2001.

“This bill highlights the value of taking a more collaborative approach between the public and private sectors," Anderson said. "The state needs more housing of all types and we need it now. We must engage all of the development community to unlock capital and accelerate our housing supply if we are going to meet the ambitious production goals set forth by the Governor.”

“The people of Oregon need us to act," Sen. Aaron Woods (D-Wilsonville) said. "We cannot allow the status quo of our homelessness and housing crisis to persist. This bill is critical to delivering real, meaningful change for communities in every corner of our state.”

Homelessness and housing availability are statewide problems, according to Woods. The package provides resources for each community around the state to address their specific affordable housing crises with local flexibility.

Sen. Majority Leader Kate Lieber (D - Beaverton) issued a statement saying housing and homelessness are two of the most urgent crises facing our state.

"The people of Oregon need results now, and Senate Democrats are delivering," Lieber said. "I am incredibly proud of our caucus members who worked to build consensus and pass this significant legislation. As the chair of the Senate Housing and Development Committee, Senator Kayse Jama ran an open and inclusive process that brought forward meaningful solutions to some of Oregon’s toughest problems. This package will help us produce more housing, get people off our streets, and make our communities more safe. It’s a strong foundation that we can build on to make Oregon work for everyone.”

“This is not a Republican or Democrat solution. This is an Oregon solution,” said Sen. Kayse Jama (D-Portland), co-chief sponsor of HB 2001, said. “This package is just a start, laying a foundation for what’s to come. This is a down payment on our longer-term investment in safe and affordable housing for every Oregonian.”

Gov. Tina Kotek issued a statement commending the Oregon Legislature for passing bipartisan legislation to address the state’s housing and homelessness crisis, including the urgent funding she proposed in response to the homelessness state of emergency that she declared on her first full day in office.

“I am deeply grateful to the housing providers, developers, landlords, advocates, impacted communities, and elected leaders on both sides of the aisle who have answered one of Oregon’s most pressing calls for help by supporting this response package,” Kotek said. “I want to extend a special thanks to the House Speaker Dan Rayfield and Senate President Rob Wagner for making sure this package was a priority early in the legislative session.”