Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/HB2006This bill appropriates moneys to Housing and Community Services Department for grants to support services, programs and legal aid for families seeking or needing housing that have low or very low incomes.
Fiscal Responsibility
Appropriates $17,000,000 to department for the purpose of providing grants to support or develop educational programs, resources or other services for families that have low or very low income, as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, that are seeking or needing housing for rent or purchase.
Legal intervention has their hand out for $2 million directed to no-charge legal services to fund a couple of attorneys and staff in regions hard hit by the housing crisis like southern Oregon, central Oregon, and the coast, and larger cities. Authorizes Department of Justice to use Oregon Domestic and Sexual Violence Services Fund to assist victims with housing needs and appropriates $3,000,000 for deposit in fund.
It sets a new higher level for future budgets, and doesn’t actually provide housing.
Limited Government
According to the recent civil legal needs study undertaken by the Oregon Law Foundation, housing continues to rank among the top legal problems experienced. Oregon is the third most unaffordable rental market in the U.S. Over half of Oregon renters pay more than a third of their income for housing, and many pay more than 50% of their income, leaving too little to cover other basic needs. This bill provides assistance for domestic and sexual violence victims, as well as training, services, and outreach for landlords and tenant communities, but doesn’t provide housing.
This sounds like an employment program for lawyers. While the cause seems noble and could use help, I think this more of a Pro-Bono type of need. The funds should actually provide physical housing opportunities with expectations of growth to the point of no need for help.