Oregon agency's 2023 report outlines state's efforts to expand housing

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As Oregon Housing and Community Services reaches closer to the end of its five-year plan, a report from the agency reveals it is on track to meet its housing goals this summer.

The report titled “Building Oregon’s Future” gives an inside look on how OHCS expanded housing and increased access for residents in 2023.

In 2019, officials established a five-year goal of tripling the number of affordable rental units to 25,000 statewide within five years. The new report shows the agency exceeded that number last July, and is now at 105% of its initial goal.

Additionally, OHCS aimed to place 85% of Oregon households in stabilized housing for at least six months. It surpassed this target by just one percent, and also surpassed its target of funding 1,390 permanent supportive housing units by funding 1,390.

Housing and Community Services still has progress to make in its objective of helping 6,500 households become homeowners. The agency assisted about 5,071 new homeowners last year.

Also in 2023, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek issued three executive orders involving homelessness and the housing crisis on her first day in office.

OHCS reported that it helped state leaders meet and exceed the goals established with the executive orders, such as creating 1,047 low-barrier shelter beds and preventing 9,024 households from experiencing homelessness.

Despite last year’s progress, Gov. Kotek signed an Emergency Housing Stability and Production Package about two weeks ago to address the ongoing crisis in Oregon.

“Even as we celebrate the many milestones highlighted in this report, we continue to work tirelessly to create new programs and policies and get funding out to communities as swiftly and efficiently as possible,” OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell said in the report. “Working together with our partners across Oregon, we remain relentless, through the lens of humanity, to deliver effective housing solutions for all.”