Oregon lawmakers plan to advance a proposed bill by a Senate housing committee that include $350 million.
According to the Oregon Capital Chronical , the state has spent about $4 billion on housing and homelessness since Sen. Kayse Jama, D-Portland, became the chair of the Senate Housing and Development Committee in 2021.
The lawmakers are now ready to approve an extra $350 million proposed by the State Governor, Tina Kotek. Through Senate Bill 1537, Governor Kotek had originally asked for $600 million in funding, including $200 million for revolving loans developers could use to build homes for middle-income Oregonians, $200 million to help cities and tribal councils pay for infrastructure needs, $65 million to keep existing homeless shelters running and $35 million for eviction prevention.
“As a Legislature, as a lawmaker, we are committed to making sure we’re doing everything that we can to support the governor’s agenda in terms of housing production for 36,000 housing (units) to be produced, but also making sure that we keep adding to that,” Senator Kayse Jama said. “It’s our commitment to Oregonians, making sure that we will build as many houses as possible to address both housing costs as well as housing availability.”
Through a spokeswoman, Governor Tina Kotek thanked the Legislature for working with her to spur housing production but said she’ll continue to push for more funding before the legislative session ends March 10.
“She anticipated amendments as a part of the legislative process and will continue to advocate for deeper investments for the workforce housing financing and infrastructure programs in her introduced bill,” Kotek press secretary Elisabeth Shepard said. “She hopes to see at least $200 million more than currently proposed.”
Oregon State has recently received thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who crossed from the southern border between US and Mexico. This funding will surely alleviate the chronic housing crisis by providing rent assistance to hundreds of local homeless people and recent arrival who are waiting their cases to be heard.
For more details about the bill, please visit Oregon Capital Chronical Website which has more details about the breakdown of the funding and where to spend.
