PLEASE NOTE: The venue for the Jackson County public hearings has moved to the following location:
1st Phoenix Community Center
The Fellowship/Dining Room
121 W. Second St.
Phoenix
SALEM, Ore. – Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) has published a draft Action Plan Amendment for a $422 million disaster recovery grant and is seeking public input on the changes. Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) is administered through a suite of programs, also known as “ReOregon,” that support individuals, households, and communities as they continue to recover from the 2020 Labor Day wildfires and straight-line winds.
OHCS is seeking public comment on the draft Action Plan Amendment, which reallocates program funds to create additional opportunities for renters and expands recovery options for Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program applicants. A short summary of the key elements of the plan and the entire draft Action Plan Amendment is available for review on OHCS’ website at https://re.oregon.gov.
"We know those who are of low incomes were disproportionately impacted by the 2020 Labor Day Disasters,” said OHCS Deputy Director Caleb Yant. "These proposed program changes will create new programs to provide more resources for renters and homeowners such as rental and down payment assistance, and counseling services.”
Members of the public are invited to provide their input on the draft Action Plan Amendment through a 30-day comment period, during which OHCS will seek input through public hearings, online form, email, mail, or telephone. The hearings will include a short presentation by OHCS officials, followed by public feedback. Printed copies of the plan will be available by request.
The public hearing schedule is as follows:
| 1st Phoenix Community Center Tuesday, Oct. 22 Wednesday, Oct. 23, in Spanish Door: 5:30 p.m. Public hearing: 6 p.m. The Fellowship/Dining Room 121 W. Second St., Phoenix | McKenzie High School Thursday, Oct. 24 Door: 5:30 p.m. Public hearing: 6 p.m. Old Gym 51887 Blue River Drive, Vida | Gates Community Christ Church Monday, Oct. 28 Door: 5:30 p.m. Public hearing: 6 p.m. Sanctuary 40070 Gates School Road, Gates | North County Center Tuesday, Oct. 29 Door: 5:30 p.m. Public hearing: 6 p.m. Community Room 108 3788 SE High School Drive, Lincoln City |
For those who cannot attend in person, a virtual hearing on Zoom will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30. Please register to attend.
“We strongly encourage members of the public, especially direct survivors of the wildfires, to provide their input on how these program changes may affect their recovery,” said Neil Barrett, external affairs officer for Disaster Recovery and Resilience at OHCS. “The most effective policies are the ones informed by those with lived experience.”
All of the information presented at the public hearings will be available on the ReOregon website at re.oregon.gov. Spanish translation services will be available at all of the public hearings. Please email hcs_housinginfo@oregon.gov if you need special accommodations.
In addition to providing comment at the hearings, the public will be able to do so by:
- E-mail: hcs_housinginfo@oregon.gov
- Online form:
- English: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/595b3469a058469e9b296542f3b7251e
- Spanish: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/db5e76cc2e8947c1a73eeb3114eff277
- Phone: 877-510-6800
- Mail: OHCS, 725 Summer St. NE, Suite B, Salem, OR 97301-1266
All comments must be submitted to OHCS no later than 11:59 p.m. Nov. 8, 2024.
After the 30-day public comment period, feedback will be incorporated into the plan before OHCS submits it to HUD for review and approval, which can take up to 45 days. As required by HUD, OHCS will address all comments received.
To learn more about ReOregon programs, visit re.oregon.gov or sign up to receive e-mail notifications.
Public Information Officer
Public Affairs
971-720-8621
https://oregon.gov/ohcs
