State programs for people experiencing homelessness and residents of manufactured dwelling parks benefitted from actions in the final hours of the 2009 Legislative Session. House Bill 5054, the “end-of-session” or “Christmas Tree” bill added resources to the budgets across state government, including Oregon Housing and Community Services.

“This is extremely good news, especially in light of a 37 percent increase in the people identified as experiencing homelessness in Oregon,” said Rick Crager, deputy director for OHCS, the state agency that administers programs serving people experiencing homelessness.

The committee restored $171,358 in General Fund previously cut from the State Homeless Assistance Program, which funds emergency shelters throughout Oregon. SHAP also funds auxiliary services, such as nutritional assistance, personal hygiene and referrals.

“Hunger and homelessness are two painful aspects of poverty that have devastating effects on children,” Crager said. “So we’re also pleased that more than $2.2 million was awarded to the Department of Education to make breakfast accessible at no charge to students who qualify for reduced price lunches.” Crager acknowledged the effective advocacy of the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force and the Oregon Food Bank in acquiring the new resources.

The Joint Ways and Means Committee also approved $83,872 Other Funds expenditure limitation and two permanent half-time positions to implement the provisions of Senate Bill 772, which gives increased responsibility to the department’s Manufactured Community Resource Center.

It seeks to improve compliance with registration and continuing education requirements for owners of manufactured dwelling parks throughout the state. It also allows landlords to convert certain utility and service billing procedures.

“A coalition of landlords and tenants brought forward this bill,” Crager said. “It demonstrates a shared commitment to a good quality of life for residents of manufactured dwelling parks.”

Additionally, through House Bill 5054, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs received $125,000 to fund payments to war veterans’ service organizations. Payments to counties were increased by a $210,118 General Fund allocation.

The final status of the OHCS Legislative agenda was:

• HB 2255A: Defines manufactured dwelling park units in manufactured dwelling park nonprofit cooperatives as real property. Governor signed into law June 26.
  
  
• HB 2256: Allows the State Housing Council to set its own dollar-value thresholds for review of loan, grants and other funding for proposed multi-family housing projects. Governor signed into law April 9.
  
  
• HB 2257: Simplifies the process for OHCS to invest Community Development Incentive Project funds in affordable housing preservation. Governor signed into law April 9.
  
  
• HB 2258A: Makes Individual Development Account accessible to more lower-income Oregonians and removes urban bias in the program’s eligibility standards. Governor signed into law April 9.
  
  
• HB 2259: Brings Oregon into alignment with national practices for naming community action networks by changing “Community Action Directors of Oregon” to “Community Action Partnership of Oregon.” Governor signed into law April 9.
  
  
• HB 2261: Streamlines process for issuance of tax-exempt bonds for affordable housing project development by formalizing that OHCS can pair tax-exempt and taxable bonds with Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credits to finance projects. Governor signed into law May 7.
  
  
• HB 5019: Vehicle for the OHCS budget. Takes effect July 1, 2009.
  
  
• SB 200: Establishes Oregon’s policy to end homelessness; requires greater collaboration between OHCS and the Department of Human Services; proposes that permanent housing be the state’s preferred response to homelessness; calls for a comprehensive and coordinated response to meet the individual needs of homeless persons. Governor signed into law June 18.
  
• SB 5535: Provides $19.4 million in lottery-backed bonds to preserve affordable housing and manufactured home dwelling parks. Passed June 29. Takes effect July 1, 2009.

Two OHCS bills were still in committee upon adjournment of the 2009 Legislature:

• SB 199: Would have increased the Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit cap by $4 million in support of preserving existing federally subsidized affordable housing.
• SB 201A: Sought to reduce the energy costs faced by low-income individuals in single- and multi-family housing, including those financed by OHCS.

The department will now implement the Housing Opportunity Bill and put to use the millions of dollars in federal stimulus dollars it received.

For more information, contact:

Lisa Joyce, OHCS Legislative Relations Manager
Ph: (503) 986-0951
E-mail: Lisa.Joyce@hcs.state.or.us

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