Housing, Homelessness, and Community Services

Pegge McGuire Community Resources Division Administrator

Oregon Housing and Community Services

General Housing Information• Homelessness statistics in most

communities are determined by a “one night count”. Annually, on a nationally identified day in January, volunteers count:– Individuals using shelter services– Individuals turned away from shelters– In some communities, a “street count” is also

performed

Oregon’s Homeless Population

• Approximately 13,000 people in Oregon are homeless on any given night

• Almost 7,000 of these individuals are veterans– Reasons most commonly cited for homelessness are:

• Poverty• Lack of affordable housing• Economic downturns-either resulting in elimination of

services impacting people in poverty, or increasing unemployment rates

• Difficulties in navigating service delivery systems or conflicts/gaps in the system

Rent Burdened HouseholdsA unit is considered affordable if it costs no more than 30% of the renter's income a household is considered severely rent burdened if they pay more than 50% of their income for rent and utilities.

In Oregon, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $721. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn $2,405 monthly or $28,856 annually. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $13.87.

In Oregon, a minimum wage worker earns an hourly wage of $7.95. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment, a minimum wage earner must work 70 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, a household must include 1.7 minimum wage earner(s) working 40 hours per week year-round in order to make the two bedroom FMR affordable.

In Oregon, the estimated mean (average) wage for a renter is $12.52 an hour.

Monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for an individual are $637 in Oregon. If SSI represents an individual's sole source of income, $191 in monthly rent is affordable, while the FMR for a one-bedroom is $603.

Source:National Low Income Housing Coalition

Affordable Housing• Federal Rent Subsidies

– Project Based– Housing Choice

• Special Programs/Populations

• Unsubsidized– Substandard– Manufactured Dwelling Parks

• Other– Specialized Funding Sources (OAHTC, Etc.)

Public Housing Authorities• Essential Services: Provide decent and safe housing and related programs

to lower-income families and individuals throughout Oregon. Population Served: Collectively, Oregon's housing Authorities serve over 92,800 people, including more than 42,500 children of striving families, 6,000 elderly, and 7,500 disabled.

• Limited Housing: Subsidized housing is in limited supply. There are 28,500 households on housing authority waiting lists. The wait after application can be as long as two to three years.

• Public Housing: Oregon housing authorities own and operate public housing for households whose income is below 50% of area median income. Residents pay a portion of their income to the housing authority for rent and utilities. Section 8-Housing Choice Vouchers: A household whose income is below 50% of median selects a suitable housing unit in the open market and pays a portion of the rent to the owner, based on household income. The balance of the monthly rent is subsidized by the housing authority. All units and rental rates are subject to approval by the housing authority.

• Other Housing: Housing is developed for households earning at or below 80% of median income. It is available, depending on circumstances, for the disabled, elderly, farmworkers, families, and others.

• Family Stabilization: Oregon's housing authorities operate a number of programs designed to stabilize families: family self-sufficiency, drug elimination, family counseling etc.

Preserving and Revitalizing Oregon’s Assisted Housing

• Of the nearly 170,000 Extremely Low Income Households in Oregon, 108,000 (64%) spend more than 50% of their income for housing.

• About 23,300 Oregon households live in project based federally assisted housing.

• Oregon had a net loss of 1000+ subsidized units between 1995-2003

Source: Community Development Law Center

Why the Stock of Assisted Housing is At Risk • Expiring Contracts, Use Agreements• Escalating market values-properties more

valuable to owners for a different use/population• Aging owners• Owners tired of dealing with federal bureaucracy• Aging physical assets- insufficient funds/and or

owner attention to maintain properties to decent standards

• Federal budget constraints and reduction in federal commitment to fund preservation activities.

Source: Community Development Law Center

Importance of Preserving this Assisted Housing

• Serves the poorest Oregonians; those least able to compete in private market

• Once project-based assistance is lost, it will not be replaced; many generations of low-income Oregonians will be affected

• Preservation, on average, is substantially less expensive than new construction

Source: Community Development Law Center

Who Are We?• OHCS is the state housing finance agency, providing

financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for lower income Oregonians.

• The agency also administers federal and state antipoverty, homeless and energy assistance community service programs.

• Think:– Housing Resource Division = Banking Functions– Community Resources Division = Logistical Support for

Rapid Response Programs and Community Stabilization

We Address Housing as a Continuum of Needs

• Immediate/Disaster Response (Homeless/Emergency Shelter, Rental Assistance, Energy Assistance Payments, Food, Incidentals, etc.)

• Stabilization (Transitional Housing, Assisted Living, Case Management, Information and Referral, Incidentals, Volunteer Service Systems Assistance, Manufactured Dwelling Park Resident and Owner Services and Park Closure Response, FH Information, etc.)

• Long-Term Impact (Development and Preservation of Affordable Housing, Home Ownership, Down Payment Assistance, Home Buyer Education, Weatherization, Housing Rehab, Asset Building, Tenant Readiness)

Community Resources Division• Programs for populations who are at or below 60% of Area

Median Income– Emergency Housing and Shelter Assistance– Rental Housing Assistance– USDA Commodities and Food Programs– Energy Assistance– Weatherization

• Programs Without Income Qualification Requirements– Manufactured Dwelling Park Community Relations– Oregon Volunteers!– Fair Housing Information and Assistance (Reasonable

Accommodation and Accessible Design and Construction Requirements)

Oregon Volunteers!• Promotes and supports AmeriCorps, volunteerism

and civic engagement to strengthen Oregon communities.

• Goals – AmeriCorps: High quality AmeriCorps programs continue to help

meet local needs identified by communities. – Volunteerism: More Oregon residents are mobilized to meet

local needs identified by communities. – Civic Engagement: Increase citizen involvement among Oregon

residents to build connections within and across communities.

Housing Resources Division• The Housing Division offers multiple programs for both multifamily rental

housing and single-family homeownership.

• The multifamily programs fund the development of new units or acquisition of existing properties that range from housing for persons with special needs to housing for lower income, working Oregonians.

• The multifamily developments are funded through a combination of programs that include low interest loans, grants and tax incentives.

• The Single-Family Finance Section provides permanent, lower interest financing for qualified homebuyers and also works with local partners in providing homeownership education programs and manages the Community Development Block Grant Program for housing rehabilitation and the Regional Housing Centers.

Our Programs are Administered Through Partnerships

• Collaboration with Other State Agencies• Private Sector Partners• Community Development Corporations• Community Action Programs• Public and Indian Housing Authorities• Oregon Food Bank• Others

Possibilities for Collaboration for Vet Services ??

• Clinic Space in Senior Housing Projects?– Pro-Bono doctors could administer approved health services to Vets

(Tricare or not)• Expansion of Statewide College Curriculum on:

– Energy Efficiency– Renewable Energy– Western Climate Initiative Activities – (Special Vet preference access)

• Gatekeeper Partnerships– VSO’s at CAP agencies– Visiting Housing Sites– Train the Trainer-Partner agency case managers can pre-prep Vet’s

prior to referrals to VSO’s (limiting follow-up for benefits claims and expanding services to Vet’s who may otherwise fail to follow-up on benefits access)

• Joint Partnerships on Development– Federal legislation may need revision to allow– Set asides in affordable housing projects/ALFs for Vets

GIS MAP of OHCS Partners

Community Action Organizations• Community Action Agencies (CAAs), formerly called Community

Action Programs (CAPs), came into existence with President Johnson's "War on Poverty" and the adoption of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. Oregon statutes designate the CAPs as our anti-poverty advisory network.

• Each Community Action Agency uses a community-based needs

assessment to develop advocacy and service priorities that provide services designed specifically for their own community. The activities and services vary by agency, depending on the needs of the community, local resources, and the opportunities for collaboration and partnership with business, private non-profit organizations and state and local government.

Services Offered By Community Action Agencies

Advocacy Affordable Housing Development

Commodity Distribution

Child Care

Community Development

Domestic Violence Victims Assistance

Economic Development

Emergency Food & Shelter

Employment Training

Energy Assistance and Weatherization

Family Shelters Food Banks

Food Gleaning Head Start

Homeless Shelters Housing Rehabilitation

Information & Referral Service

In-Home Care

Lifespan Respite Care – Warmline

Life Skills Training

Migrant/Farmworker Service

Neighborhood Centers

Parent Training

Public Transportation

Second Chance Renters Program

Self-Help Programs

Self-Sufficiency Programs

Senior Services

Transportation

Volunteer Services

Tracking Those Using Our Services

• Disproportionate Impact:– Communities of Color– Individuals with Disabilities

• OPUS• Partner Input• Voluntary Disclosure

OPUS-Bill Carpenter, CIO

Bill’s Video

Oregon Housing and Community Services

www.ohcs.oregon.gov