During the October meeting of the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Transportation and Community Development Steering Committee, members discussed the housing supply shortage, rural houselessness, and the county role in addressing these statewide issues. Counties across the state are seeing increased use of county forests, recreational vehicle parks, and campgrounds as longer-term solutions for the growing under- and un-housed populations and seek to be a part of the solution to Oregon’s housing crisis.
The steering committee is interested in further partnering with cities and the State to address the public health, safety, and humanitarian issues that arise from this crisis and directed AOC staff to engage directly on policy conversations.
Below is an update on some of the ongoing work and AOC engagement.
Request for Rulemaking: Interim Housing on Rural Lands
Spearheaded by the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners with the support of the county’s community development director, several counties submitted comments on the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) 2021-2023 policy agenda. The comments requested support for interim housing options on rural lands and urged the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) to consider extending the 2021 adopted rule allowing interim sheltering for natural disaster victims outside of the urban growth boundary on rural lands to cover people displaced by the housing crisis.
The Association of County Planning Directors and AOC staff liaison, Mallorie Roberts continue to explore additional legislative and administrative options for increasing county tools and reducing regulatory barriers to addressing rural houselessness.
DLCD Regional Housing Needs Analysis Working Group
The 2019 State Legislature directed Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to undergo a regional housing needs analysis and directed DLCD to assess applying that prototype methodology to state and local planning processes through House Bill 2003 (2019). As part of their assessment, DLCD found that the current implementation process for Statewide Land Use Goal 10: Housing chronically underestimates housing need. House Bill 5006 (2021) Section 136 appropriates funding and directs DLCD to “study and make legislative recommendations on the incorporation of a regional housing needs analysis into state and local planning programs.”
Per this legislative direction, DLCD formed a Housing Planning Reform Working Group to help the department develop legislative recommendations and to help facilitate a robust outreach process. AOC Legislative Affairs Manager, Mallorie Roberts is a member of this working group. Please reach out to Mallorie with questions or concerns. AOC will communicate opportunities to engage directly with this work.
Workgroup on Manufactured Home Park Development
The AOC Transportation and Community Development Steering Committee also spent a significant amount of time in the October meeting discussing the role that expanded manufactured homes can play in addressing the housing supply shortage, creating homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income households, and rebuilding after the 2020 wildfires. However, manufactured home parks currently make up a very small percentage of the state’s housing stock. New park development and expansion, especially on rural land, faces significant regulatory barriers and stigma.
Following the September steering committee meeting, AOC Legislative Affairs Manager, Mallorie Roberts joined a legislative workgroup exploring options to reduce barriers and stigma and incentivize new park development.
Manufactured home production on the West Coast is struggling to keep up with demand, leaving many would-be homeowners waiting 18 months or more, and requiring park developers to forego manufactured home parks due to low or no supply. The workgroup is also exploring opportunities to bring new manufactured home factories to Oregon and workforce training partnerships with community colleges.
Members interested in this work are encouraged to join the AOC Transportation and Community Development steering committee meetings and to reach out to Mallorie directly.
Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Affairs Manager