Directs the Department of Veterans' Affairs to provide grants to nonprofit organizations to offset unexpected increases in costs in repurposing buildings for veteran housing and housing programs.

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 2856
Sponsored by Representative EVANS (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: Tells ODVA to give grants to offset costs that groups incur but did not expect to incur
in repurposing buildings for veteran housing. Creates a fund with lottery moneys to fund the grants.
(Flesch Readability Score: 67.0).
Directs the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to provide grants to nonprofit organizations to off-
set unexpected increases in costs in repurposing buildings for veteran housing and housing pro-
grams.
Establishes the Veterans Housing Construction Cost Reduction Fund. Directs the State Treasury
to transfer, each biennium, moneys from the Veterans’ Department of Veterans’ Affairs Dedicated
Lottery Fund to the Veterans Housing Construction Cost Reduction Fund to be used by the de-
partment to provide the grants.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to veteran housing services.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) The Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall award one-time grants to
nonprofit organizations that repurpose buildings to be used for housing or housing programs
for veterans. Housing may include temporary, short-term or long-term housing.
(2) A nonprofit organization is eligible to receive a grant if:
(a) The nonprofit organization is repurposing a building to be used to provide housing or
housing programs for veterans;
(b) The nonprofit organization incurs an unexpected increase in costs in repurposing the
building; and
(c) The building is:
(A) Formerly a public building;
(B) Historically significant; or
(C) Uniquely located to provide housing or housing programs for veterans.
(3) Grant moneys awarded under this section must be used to offset unexpected increases
in costs incurred by a nonprofit organization in repurposing a building for housing or housing
programs for veterans.
(4) The department may adopt rules for the implementation of the provisions of this
section and the administration of grants, including eligibility requirements for grant recipi-
ents.
SECTION 2.
(1) The Veterans Housing Construction Cost Reduction Fund is established
in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund. The Veterans Housing
Construction Cost Reduction Fund consists of moneys appropriated, allocated, deposited or
transferred to the fund by the Legislative Assembly or otherwise and any donations or
grants received for the purpose of the fund.
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 1083
HB 2856
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(2) Moneys in the Veterans Housing Construction Cost Reduction Fund are continuously
appropriated to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for the purpose of providing grants
under section 1 of this 2025 Act.
(3) Each biennium, the State Treasury shall transfer 1.5 percent of the moneys in the
Veterans’ Department of Veterans’ Affairs Dedicated Lottery Fund established under ORS
406.144 from the Veterans’ Department of Veterans’ Affairs Dedicated Lottery Fund to the
Veterans Housing Construction Cost Reduction Fund.
(4) Moneys in the Veterans Housing Construction Cost Reduction Fund may be used only
for purposes for which moneys in the Veterans’ Services Fund established under ORS 406.140
may be used under ORS 406.140 and Article XV, section 4f, of the Oregon Constitution.
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