Oregon Passes Incentives for Rural Low Income Construction, Creates Housing Cost Study

The following two bills aimed at affordable housing passed during Oregon’s short legislative session:

HB 4006 – Local Government Rent Burden Reporting & Housing Cost Study

This bill requires cities where 25 percent of the population is severely rent burdened to hold a public meeting and complete a survey on housing and land use planning needs. OHCS and DLCD will develop the survey and collect responses. The bill also provides $2 million to DLCD for planning grants to local jurisdictions to help address their housing needs and $270,000 to OHCS to conduct a study of the cost drivers for affordable housing.

HB 4144 – Construction Contracting

HB 4144 streamlines residential and specialty construction contracting requirements and provides incentives to contractors who operate in rural Oregon and perform at least 20% of their work on housing development projects affordable at low and moderate income levels. This bill was one of Governor Brown’s 5 priority bills for the session and OHCS worked closely with the Governor’s staff in support of the bill.