On Monday, October 21st, Governor Tina Kotek brought together state legislators, local builders, and housing advocates to examine how recent policy changes are addressing Oregon’s housing crisis.
Governor Kotek emphasized that Oregon’s lack of housing—particularly at varied price points—remains the state’s most pressing economic challenge. “The largest economic challenge for our state is not having enough housing, and having housing at the different price points that people need,” she said, noting that high living costs continue to strain working families across the region.
Organized as part of the governor’s ongoing statewide housing push, the visit featured leaders from the Oregon Legislature’s housing committees, along with representatives from key state agencies including the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), the Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPO), and Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).
The visit highlighted how recently enacted housing legislation—notably House Bills 4079 and 3318 and Senate Bill 1537—is beginning to have an impact. These measures aim to increase the housing supply for middle-income Oregonians, a group often left behind because they earn too much to qualify for subsidized housing but still can’t afford market-rate homes. The new laws streamline permitting processes, support innovative public-private partnerships, and provide incentives for infrastructure development to enable faster and more sustainable construction.
More about The Foundation for Affordable Housing
For over 30 years, The Foundation for Affordable Housing (FFAH) has been helping to build and manage hundreds of affordable housing communities accounting for thousands of homes.
Founded by Tom and Deborrah Willard, our organization is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public benefit nonprofit corporation. Read more about FFAH here.
