OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell released the following statement to commend Gov. Tina Kotek for her mission-focused budget recommendation investments in housing:
“In her first day of office, Gov. Kotek took swift action to pursue progress on issues of shared concern across the state,” Bell said. “Today, the governor released her budget, which lays out the path forward to meet our state’s greatest housing challenges not only for the year ahead, but for years to come.
“As we are in community with our partners, we continue to see leaders relentlessly working toward meaningful change that will be felt in the lives of the people they serve. We know the way forward will require all of us and investments at the scale needed to tackle these important issues. For what we know is that our economies and our communities are stronger when all people have access to their basic needs to which housing is fundamental.
“We know budgets are moral documents and today marks an important day. I am grateful to Gov. Kotek for having the foresight to call for sizeable investments in housing and homelessness solutions. Our state is at an inflection point. Oregonians across the state have increasingly called for more affordable housing. The Governor’s Recommended Budget reflects this priority to increase housing options and access to homeownership not just with words but with action. The work ahead requires statewide galvanization, and we invite you to be part of it.”
About Oregon Housing and Community Services
Oregon Housing and Community Services provides resources for Oregonians to reduce poverty and increase access to stable housing. Our intentional focus on both housing and community services allows us to serve Oregonians holistically across the housing continuum, including preventing and ending homelessness, assisting with utilities, providing housing stability support, financing multifamily affordable housing and encouraging homeownership.