Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Executive Director Andrea Bell visited a modular home production facility in Aumsville, Oregon to get a firsthand look at how state investments are being put to work to accelerate housing solutions. The company, Blazer Industries, is one of four recipients of OHCS’ Modular Housing Development Fund (MHDF), created through House Bill 2001 (2023).

“We have a governor and a legislature that championed these investments and see modular as an important part of our state’s housing continuum,” Executive Director Bell said. “Oregon is a national leader in housing innovation. OHCS is investing in modular construction for its potential to reduce costs, shorten development timelines, and expand access to affordable housing – all without compromising safety or quality.”

During last week’s tour, Blazer Industries leaders and Executive Director Bell discussed several topics, including:

Strengthening the modular construction workforce

Leveraging technology to improve building efficiency

Expanding affordable housing options across the state

“The MHDF grant has enabled Blazer to assemble a team of experts in design, construction, systems development and technology to focus on increasing capacity to produce housing,” said Kendra Cox, owner and business development manager at Blazer Industries. “The residential product line will include ADUs, cottage clusters, small multifamily, and main street live-work designs along with off the shelf emergency replacement models and a smoother procurement process.”

With a $5 million grant from OHCS, Blazer Industries is upgrading its technology and software systems, creating off-the-shelf home designs, and streamlining production operations. Blazer Industries projects they can produce 100 to 200 additional homes per year.

Modular construction is a building method where structures are made in factory-built sections and then assembled on-site. It can offer numerous benefits, including cost savings, faster construction times, and scalability for emergency housing. Blazer Industries will prioritize producing disaster recovery units first, followed by ongoing production of units for lower- and middle-income homeowners.

As one of the OHCS grantees, Blazer Industries received the funding to boost affordable modular construction in Oregon. OHCS expects modular homes to increase housing options, especially in rural communities where there is a critical need for new construction.

Watch a video of OHCS’ visit to Blazer Industries here.