West Tuality Habitat Staff Joins Others in Advocating for Affordable Housing in Salem Today
More than 50 Habitat for Humanity advocates, including staff and volunteers from West Tuality Habitat, are meeting with Oregon legislators during #HabitatAtTheCapitol today to make their voices heard for housing resiliency and home affordability in 2023.
Throughout Oregon, including Western Washington County, the demand for affordable homes far exceeds the supply. In addition, 1 in 6 households in Oregon spends more than half of their income on housing. The lack of affordable housing causes many Oregonians to face extremely difficult choices between housing and other basic needs, like food, healthcare and childcare - and foregoing activities many people may take for granted, like children participating in extracurricular activities with fees that the family cannot budget for.
Habitat for Humanity advocates from across the state are in Salem today to share their support for policies that will lower barriers to home ownership and home construction in Oregon and help more families save money for the future. Habitat advocates are urging state lawmakers to prioritize policies that expand new home production and sustain access to matched-savings programs that help create pathways toward homeownership.
Habitat advocates are urging lawmakers to:
Support Governor Tina Kotek’s recommendation for Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) for Homeownership (SB 5511). The lack of homes in Oregon is driving up costs for renters and homebuyers. Oregon’s Housing Needs Analysis makes it clear: the state must invest in the production of new homes. LIFT for Homeownership is a proven program; it has been highly successful in ramping up new home production for Habitat organizations across the state. Habitat affiliates already accessing LIFT for Homeownership have tripled their production within three years. West Tuality Habitat for Humanity is one of the affiliates accessing this program already. Gov. Tina Kotek's proposed budget for Oregon Housing and Community Services (Senate Bill 5511) includes $5 million in supplemental, general funds to ensure LIFT Homeownership can reach rural communities and build the density needed to address our supply crisis.
Pass legislation that incentivizes homeownership development and supports innovative models for increasing homeownership rates for communities of color in Oregon (SB 936).
Support $35 million in additional funding for Individual Development Accounts for the biennium; this request is part of Gov. Kotek's proposed budget for Oregon Housing and Community Services (Senate Bill 5511). IDAs are matched savings accounts. They leverage state resources to support financial stability and wealth-building among Oregonians with lower incomes. In addition to matched savings, IDAs ensure an equitable and statewide impact in communities historically and systemically excluded from economic opportunities. IDAs are designed to build wealth and set families and individuals up for financial success by encouraging savers to set up savings goals. After the saver reaches their goal, they receive a match on their savings from anywhere from 1:1 to 1:5. Many IDA savers save towards specific goals, such as purchasing a home, higher education, starting a small business, or setting up emergency savings. Habitat for Humanity partners with IDA participants to save for down payments and closing costs. Statewide, 22 percent of all IDA accounts are used for home purchases. The IDA program is extremely popular and in high demand, but there isn’t enough money to reach everyone who wants to open an IDA account.
Representatives from West Tuality Habitat are happy to discuss this legislation and the affiliates local efforts to help build affordable homes and help vulnerable homeowners to stay in their homes in Washington County, Oregon. West Tuality Habitat serves all of Western Washington County, including Forest Grove, Cornelius, North Plains, Banks, Gaston, Gales Creek and Buxton. Call (503) 359-8459 or email development@westtualityhabitat.org if you are interested in having a representative speak at your event or to your group.
West Tuality Habitat for Humanity is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and was formed in 1991. In addition to the affordable housing program, West Tuality Habitat also has a critical home repair program for seniors, military veterans and people with disabilities, allowing them to stay in their homes and improve their quality of life in Western Washington County. West Tuality Habitat also operates a ReStore in Forest Grove, selling gently-used, donated furniture, appliances and other home furnishings, as well as leftover building supplies, to help fund its activities.
Complete information about West Tuality Habitat's activities are on its web site at www.westtualityhabitat.org.
