Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) response to the homelessness crisis and its innovative strategies to preserve affordable housing earn the state agency two coveted awards at the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) conference. OHCS received the Special Needs Housing: Combating Homelessness and the Rental Housing: Preservation and Rehabilitation awards.

OHCS ended the first year of the emergency homelessness response by surpassing the initial goals related to preventing homelessness, creating shelter capacity, and rehousing people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The state and housing partners created more than 1,000 shelter beds, rehoused over 1,400 households, and prevented more than 9,000 people from experiencing homelessness.

“In so many ways, housing is connected to the meaning of life. Making everyday life better for people and communities across Oregon begins with securing the fundamentals, like housing,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “Under Governor Kotek’s leadership, we are getting it done. We are grateful to our state and local partners that stepped up in a significant way to improve lives and strengthen Oregon."

OHCS was also recognized for implementing innovative strategies to help keep rents at prices people can pay in housing developments where affordable rents are close to expiring. The agency created a first-of-its-kind Preservation Framework and Dashboard. The Preservation Framework wraps all preservation-related topics into one document. The Preservation Dashboard makes preservation data easily accessible to housing partners across the state and county.

"While affordable housing preservation does not tend to garner ribbon cutting ceremonies, having proactive and robust strategies to maintain affordability and addressing the physical needs of existing properties is directly connected to our shared housing goals," said Bell.

OHCS created the Preservation Framework and Dashboard after meeting with many preservation partners and incorporating their thoughts and feedback.

Pictured above: Pioneer Park in Veneta, Oregon was preserved as affordable housing.