SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), in partnership with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), is proud to announce the graduation of seven project teams from the 2026 Oregon Supportive Housing Institute (Institute). The Institute, developed through a partnership between OHCS and CSH, follows CSH’s nationally recognized Supportive Housing Institute model.

"OHCS’ Supportive Housing Institute is another way we are delivering on our commitment to meet Oregon’s housing needs with dignity, urgency, and accountability," said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. "Local leadership and state resources are showing how we can make life better and more affordable for everyday Oregonians."

Through the Institute, project teams receive intensive training, technical assistance, and cross-sector collaboration to help create and advance permanent supportive housing (PSH) projects that combine affordable housing with supportive services. This type of housing supports people exiting homelessness with some of this year’s projects focusing on serving specific populations such as those experiencing severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI).

The SHI is a key part of building more PSH housing units statewide, and 57 teams have completed the Institute so far. These teams have successfully applied and received OHCS funding for the creation of 930 PSH units. 

"CSH is delighted to see our seventh cohort graduate from the Oregon Institute,” said Deborah De Santis, president and CEO at CSH. “Over the years we've watched the Institute become a true community building effort focused on creating much needed affordable and supportive housing for Oregonians facing complex barriers to housing. The intentional investment these projects make in developing housing with supportive services is built on a proven, cost-effective approach that helps individuals and communities thrive now and well into the future."

This year’s cohort represents a diverse range of communities, including Tribal members and rural and urban areas throughout the state. These projects are expected to move into development over the next couple years, with support from OHCS and other funding partners. Watch this video to learn more about each project.

2026 SHI Graduates and Their Projects

Learn more about the Supportive Housing Institute and Oregon’s efforts to end chronic homelessness.

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)

OHCS is Oregon's housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians with low and moderate incomes. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.
 

About the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)

CSH (Corporation for Supportive Housing) advances affordable housing aligned with services by advocating for effective policies and funding, investing in communities, and strengthening the supportive housing field. Since our founding in 1991, CSH has been the only national nonprofit intermediary focused solely on increasing the availability of supportive housing. Over the course of our work, we have created more than 512,500 units of affordable and supportive housing and invested more than $2.2 billion in communities. As an intermediary, we do not directly develop or operate housing but center our approach on collaboration with a wide range of people, partners, and sectors. For more information, visit www.csh.org.

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) continues to expand housing opportunities, investing in the creation of 293 affordable homes, including 222 rental homes and 71 homes for purchase. Over the past three months, the Oregon Housing Stability Council approved funding for projects in Lincoln City, Bend, Phoenix, Roseburg, and Portland.

"Addressing Oregon's housing crisis requires more pathways to stable, affordable housing in communities throughout the state," said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. "These investments respond to distinct local needs — from helping communities recover from devastating wildfires to creating opportunities for more families to put down roots through homeownership."

Each development responds to the needs of the community it will serve. 

Taken together, the projects demonstrate that addressing Oregon’s housing needs requires more than a single type of housing solution. Affordable rental housing and homeownership, with investments in both rural and urban communities, play an important role in ensuring Oregonians struggling to make ends meet and at all different stages of life can find homes that fit their needs.

“Thistle & Nest is honored and humbled by the support of Oregon Housing and Community Services through the Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) for Homeownership program,” said Amy Warren, board president. “This 2026 funding will allow us to continue creating much-needed homeownership opportunities in Central Oregon while expanding our work to the Oregon Coast. With Lincoln County being identified as an underserved area for owner-occupied housing, we are proud to help meet that need by creating high-quality, efficient homes that strengthen communities and fit harmoniously within them.”

View the June and August Housing Stability Council meeting packets for more information.

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)

OHCS is Oregon's housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians with low and moderate incomes. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) joined West Tuality Habitat for Humanity and community partners on July 30 to celebrate the grand opening of Countryman Estates, a new affordable homeownership development that will help more families achieve the dream of owning a home in Washington County.

“Every new affordable homeownership opportunity creates lasting financial benefits for Oregon families and communities,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “Developments like Countryman Estates help make homeownership attainable for working families while building generational wealth and strengthening the economy.”

Countryman Estates is an eight-home development in Forest Grove, partially funded through OHCS’ Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) Homeownership program, which is intended to create affordable homeownership opportunities for families with low to moderate incomes.

With a focus on increasing housing supply, LIFT funds can be used for new construction or conversion of existing non-housing structures with units being completed and ready for sale within 36 months of receiving a funding reservation.

Habitat for Humanity’s homeownership model helps families purchase homes with affordable mortgages while partnering with homeowners throughout the homebuying process, creating a pathway for long-term housing stability.

"Our two partner families have worked hard to build their own homes alongside our staff and volunteers, all while working full-time jobs, raising kids, and preparing for a mortgage,” said Laura Altermatt, executive director, West Tuality Habitat for Humanity. “The LIFT funding we receive from OHCS is critical to the success of our mission to build affordable homes. We're grateful for our partnership with the State of Oregon as we work together to deliver housing for the residents of western Washington County."

As Oregon continues facing a statewide housing shortage, investments in affordable homeownership developments like Countryman Estates help increase housing supply while creating opportunities for more Oregonians to put down roots in the communities where they live and work.

In addition to providing homeownership development funding to partners to expand housing inventory, OHCS programs such as Flex Lending and down payment assistance help Oregonians get their foot in the door of owning their own home.

For more information about all of OHCS’ homeownership programs, visit the OHCS website.

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) 

OHCS is Oregon's housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians with low and moderate incomes. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs. 

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is aligning public and private resources to invest in Oregon’s future by helping children, youth, and families access stable housing, early learning, and supportive services that give young people the foundation to succeed in school and later in life. 

Research consistently shows that housing stability is closely linked to educational success. Students experiencing housing instability face significant barriers to learning and graduate at lower rates than their peers. This reality is avoidable. Through investments that pair affordable housing with early learning, rental assistance, and youth-focused supportive housing, OHCS is helping ensure more Oregon children and young adults have the stability they need to learn, grow, and build successful futures. 

“The path to a brighter future begins with a stable place to call home,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “Every investment we make in helping young Oregonians thrive is also an investment in stronger communities and Oregon’s future.”  

The connection between housing and educational success is increasingly recognized across Oregon. During the 2026 legislative session, House Bill 4149 established state protections to help students experiencing homelessness remain connected to school, recognizing that housing stability plays an essential role in educational achievement and long-term success. 

“Housing is part of the solution to most of the big challenges we face as a state, from improving learning outcomes for our kids to creating opportunities for Oregonians to build careers where they grew up,” Gov. Tina Kotek said. “My administration has made access to housing a priority because it lays the groundwork for Oregonians to build a better future for themselves and their families.” 

OHCS’ Youth Emergency Housing Assistance (YEHA) program received a $5 million legislative investment in 2023 to house families in rural Oregon who are experiencing housing instability and homelessness, helping reduce barriers that can interrupt learning. This program serves Coos, Klamath, Lincoln, Douglas, and Josephine Counties and has provided families more than 3,000 instances of service like utility assistance, rent assistance, and transportation support. Most households served by YEHA projects can end their homelessness and find permanent housing. 

"OHCS in recent years has directly partnered with rural communities to ensure our youth have the resources and pathways to succeed,” said Thomas McGregor, youth and housing project manager at Peace at Home Advocacy Center in Roseburg. “The results have been our communities deepening our partnerships locally and regionally, while collectively envisioning how all Oregon youth are more than adequately supported." 

The BuildUp Oregon Initiative, launched through a $10 million legislative investment in 2021, integrates early learning and childcare centers directly into affordable housing developments. Developed in partnership with the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care, BuildUp Oregon brings together developers and childcare providers to overcome the operational challenges of co-locating childcare with housing communities. 

To date, BuildUp Oregon has committed $7.4 million in grants and loans to nine housing projects, leveraging an additional $20 million in public and private investment, about $2.70 for every state dollar invested. The original legislative investment is expected to create almost 600 early care and education slots for Oregon families. 

OHCS has also incorporated family-friendly design into its statewide funding process. Through its Qualified Allocation Plan and Oregon Centralized Application, the agency prioritizes developments that include family-sized homes and spaces designed to support families with young children, encouraging affordable housing developers across Oregon to build communities where children and families can thrive. 

Several OHCS-financed developments prioritize young adults transitioning from foster care. They pair affordable housing with services such as on-site resource specialists, financial workshops on credit and taxes, and after-hours crisis response tailored to the needs of young residents. 

One example is Polk 2.0 Permanent Supportive Housing, a 12-unit development in Eugene created by DevNW, serving youth ages 16-24 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, with a preference for youth aging out of foster care or other residential care systems.  

“Interrupting the cycle of homelessness starts with ensuring young adults have a safe, affordable place to call home. This requires creating affordable housing that welcomes young adults who don’t have a rental or credit history, can’t afford market rate rent, and need support to become confident renters. Dedicated investments in development and services for young adults are critically needed in our communities,” said Emily Reiman, CEO of DevNW. 

The agency also administers long-term rental assistance made possible through House Bill 2163, which invested $4.5 million to help Oregonians under age 25 transitioning from foster care, homelessness, behavioral health or treatment facilities, or corrections maintain stable housing.  

Together, these efforts move Oregon closer to a future where every child and young adult has the stability, care, and foundation needed to reach their full potential. 

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) 

OHCS is Oregon's housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians with low and moderate incomes. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.