Workshops

Rural Communities

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Protecting Communities as LIHTC Affordability Periods Expire


Date: Tuesday, Oct. 5

Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm PDT (3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EDT)

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Panelists:

David Davenport, Managing Partner, BC Davenport, LLC

Ellen Lurie Hoffman, Senior Director of Federal Policy, National Housing Trust

Robert Rozen, Policy Attorney

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Description:

Predatory Low Income Housing Tax Credit Investors are a growing threat to communities and organizations. We'll discuss how these disputes drain resources from nonprofits, threaten the long-term affordability of properties, and undermine the well-being of residents and communities. Join us to learn about how litigation, federal legislation, and state and local policies can help mitigate this destructive trend and how your organization can protect itself from predatory investors.

Lessons from Hermiston, Oregon: Building Affordable Housing in Rural Communities


Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6

Time:  9:00 am - 10:00 am PDT (12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT)

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Panelists:

Nikolai Ursin, Housing Developer, Northwest Housing Alternatives

Bill Lanning, AIA, Principal, MWA Architects

Brian Layman, Project Manager, Walsh Construction Co.

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Description:

Rural communities face unique challenges when dealing with the affordable housing crisis. There's a shortage of affordable housing in rural Oregon, and for most small towns in the state, new construction means an uphill battle. Join the team of the Northwest Housing Alternative's Hermiston Family Housing project as they discuss some of the lessons learned and successes achieved in building affordable multifamily housing in Hermiston, Oregon.

Lessons in Community and Family Resilience from the 2020 Wildfires


Date:  Thursday, Oct. 7

Time:  9:00 am - 10:00 am PDT (12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT)

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Moderator:

Kim Travis, Wildfire Recovery Manager, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Panelists:         

Ryan Flynn, Assistant Director of Disaster Recovery and Resiliency, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Michael Morter, Wildfire Recovery Ombudsman, Office of Oregon Governor Kate Brown

Candace Jamison, Executive Director, Marion County Housing Authority

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Description:

In early fall of 2020, Oregon experienced a devastating series of wildfires, losing nearly 4,200 homes and forever changing the lives and landscapes in its varied pathways. The fires left thousands of residents homeless and economically vulnerable; the state was already reeling from a severe shortage of affordable housing, escalating costs for land and materials, a growing gap between rental rates and wages, and unprecedented levels of housing insecurity made worse by COVID-19.  Panel participants will outline lessons learned and how we can be more prepared for future disasters, provide a status of new resources (HB 5006) to address the 2020 wildfires, and discuss the importance of modular construction to expedite recovery.

Discover the Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit


Date:  Thursday, Oct. 7

Time:  3:00 pm – 4:00 pm PDT (6:00 pm – 7:00 pm EDT)

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PRESENTERS

Martin Jarvis, Program Analyst, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Tai Dunson-Strane, Production Analyst, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Ken Morrell, Portlfolio Administration and Compliance, Oregon Housing and Community Services

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Description:

The OAHTC is a financing tool unique to Oregon and has recently had a statutory update to better align with funding from Rural Development, along with an increase to the cap!  Joined by others from OHCS, OAHTC program manager Martin Jarvis will lead this session highlighting these recent updates, along with a review of the program use and compliance requirements of OAHTC funding. Topics of discussion will include:  what the credit is and how it works, how it can benefit both property owners and tenants, why it’s so important in our current housing climate, program exemptions and key compliance requirements.

Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley: New legislation championing affordable homeownership and ending homelessness


Friday, October 8

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm PDT (3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EDT)


PRESENTERS

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley

Madison Moskowitz, Domestic Economic Policy Advisor, Office of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden

Matthew Traylor, Housing Policy Advisor, Office of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley


DESCRIPTION

Oregon's U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley join us to explain new legislation they have introduced designed to address America’s crisis of housing availability and affordability by reducing the shortcomings of current housing policies and funding levels. After brief comments, the Senators’ policy staff will join for Q & A. Senator Ron Wyden’s DASH Act will make a generational investment to end childhood homelessness and tackle the housing affordability crisis by issuing Housing Choice Vouchers to all families with children; greatly increase the production of deeply affordable housing for families exiting homelessness and reform the Low Income Housing Tax Credit. Senator Merkley’s Affordable HOME Act will invest $40 billion per year in the National Housing Trust Fund; lower the cost of housing so everyone can afford a place to live; and build an emergency housing program to deploy resources during large-scale disasters like wildfires.

Advocate to lower the financed by threshold for 4% PAB from 50% to 25% – Contact U.S. Representatives Schrader & Bentz


Housing Oregon is making a push to make change happen in the congressional lame duck session. We’re trying to secure a congressional fix for LITHC 4% Private Activity Bonds into one of the must pass bills at the end of the year.  New affordable housing development in Oregon and 21 other states will slow down significantly as we approach our state's private activity bond cap. Congress can support Oregon and the other 21 states that have reached their Private Activity Bond cap by allowing a lower percentage of Private Activity Bonds (PABs) needed to access 4% LIHTC funds. By changing the financed by threshold requirement from 50% to 25%, a housing project which is 25% funded using PABs would still be able to use the LIHTC, ensuring that this critical federal tool remains available to build more affordable housing.

How to Take Action NOW:

Housing Oregon’s goal is to get Representative Bentz and Representative Schrader to sign onto an Oregon State Delegation letter to congressional leadership to take meaningful action on the 25% test fix for private activity bonds. 

Please call and email Rep. Bentz & Rep. Schrader’s offices. Unsure what to say? Read Housing Oregon’s sample message and email script here.