HB 2001 Affordable Housing, Homelessness Response Package

02/24/2023
VOTE: NO
Signed into law by Gov Kotek on 3-29-23, effective immediately
Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2001

This bill is amended to establish a $200 million Affordable Housing and Emergency Homelessness Response Package (HB 2001 and HB 5019).

The proposed package includes:

• Fully funds the Governor’s Homelessness State of Emergency ($130 million);
• Provides $27 million in additional funding to address homelessness in other 25 rural counties;
• Provides Rental Assistance and other services to help stay in their homes – lengthens eviction notice from 72 hours to 10 days and includes a right of redemption (HB 2001);
• Meets the Governor’s goal of building 36,000 affordable housing units annually by speeding up production.
• $20 million to ramp up the production of affordable modular home production using Oregon’s mass timber and other conventional materials to support Oregon’s homegrown industries;
• $3 million Revolving Loan Fund to support local governments and developers with predevelopment loans to build housing for middle-income families;
• $5 million in grants for farmers to improve the health and safety conditions of on-site housing for agricultural workers;
• Makes building affordable housing the top priority for the state through structural changes to Oregon’s land use system and partnerships with local governments streamlining urbanization process.
• Invests $25 million in critical support for most vulnerable youth and families connecting them with rental assistance, shelter facilities, outreach, culturally-specific services, mental health or substance abuse service.

The Governor intends to spend over a billion dollars on housing and has set an incredibly ambitious goal of boosting Oregon’s production to 36,000 units per year, and yet this rushed housing “omnibus” package does nothing to actually achieve that goal. Though some included items have merit, others erode landlords’ ability to operate their businesses, risking the loss of more rental units, and destroying lives caught in the regulations in the process.