December 02, 2008
The Housing Alliance Update & Announcements is a bi-weekly electronic newsletter to keep you up-to-date about everything the Housing Alliance is doing to win in 2009 — and how you can get involved!
The Good News and The Bad News For Affordabe Housing
in the Governor's 2009 Budget
Yesterday, as you’ve read and heard, the Governor released his proposed budget for 2009—2011. Because of the revenue shortfall, he faced a series of difficult choices.
There’s good news and bad news for affordable housing:
- The bad news first: The proposal does not include a document recording fee increase. However, the Housing Alliance will still move forward with our proposal, endorsed by the Oregon Association of Realtors, the Oregon Bankers Association, and the Oregon Home Builders Association to create a dedicated revenue source for affordable housing. We have language being drafted now, are beginning to line up sponsors, and remain very optimistic about our prospects.
The document recording fee increase would fund new homes for our most vulnerable neighbors, help prevent and end homelessness, support the preservation of existing homes, and help folks into homeownership opportunities. It’s a big step forward—and one we need to take in 2009!
- The proposal does include $16.3 million in Lottery Backed Bonds to preserve existing rent subsidized units. This funding will protect very vulnerable residents throughout the state. For lists of at-risk units, see: http://preserveoregonhousing.org/facts/factsheets.html
- The proposal also includes $3.1 million in Lottery Backed Bonds to preserve manufactured home parks in Oregon through resident cooperatives.
We will be learning and sharing more over the next few weeks, and we’ll be gearing up for the session, which starts January 12, 2009.
In the meantime, you can help us move forward. Talk to your legislators! Talk to your neighbors! Write a letter to the editor! People need homes to sleep in, so they don’t have to sleep under bridges! Make housing a priority in 2009.
For more information about joining the Housing Alliance please visit our website at http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org/joinus.html.
Want more information on the Housing Alliance? Go to http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org.
For a full archive of Housing Alliance Weekly Updates, go to http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org/updates_archive.html
For information on the 2007 legislative session, click here.
For information on the 2005 Legislative Session, click here.
Please email or call us with questions or ideas for how we can best keep you informed. Contact Janet Byrd or Michael Anderson.
