Requires the Legislative Policy and Research Director to study affordable housing and to report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to housing by August 15, 2026.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
A-Engrossed
Senate Bill 52
Ordered by the Senate April 17
Including Senate Amendments dated April 17
Printed pursuant to Senate Interim Rule 213.28 by order of the President of the Senate in conformance with pre-
session filing rules, indicating neither advocacy nor opposition on the part of the President (at the request
of Senate Interim Committee on Housing and Development)
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. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability standards.
Digest: This Act tells LPRO to study affordable housing. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.2).
[Digest: The Act tells OHCS to study housing. (Flesch Readability Score: 90.9). ]
Requires the [ Housing and Community Services Department ] Legislative Policy and Research
Director to study affordable housing and to report to the interim committees of the Legislative
Assembly related to housing by [ September] August 15, 2026.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to housing; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) As used in this section, “affordable housing” has the meaning given that
term in ORS 458.480.
(2) The Legislative Policy and Research Director shall conduct a study of factors that
impede the production of affordable housing units in Oregon.
(3) The study conducted under this section must include:
(a) A review of existing research related to affordable housing’s construction costs, in-
cluding the costs of land, development, financing and regulatory compliance and other fac-
tors that impact the production of affordable housing units in this state.
(b) A review of state regulatory, financial or economic factors that support or limit the
development of different types of affordable housing projects, including mixed-use develop-
ments.
(c) A comparison of identifiable cost differences among affordable housing projects on a
per-unit basis, subject to and not subject to prevailing wage laws, that includes project costs,
labor or wage costs and project completion timelines for construction over the past five
years in Oregon.
(d) An identification of regional factors that impede or support affordable housing devel-
opment in Oregon.
(4) The study conducted under this section must:
(a) Rely on publicly available affordable housing data and related expenditure or cost
data.
(b) Where publicly available data is unavailable, to the extent practicable and necessary
to complete the requirements of subsection (3)(b) to (d) of this section, collect data from a
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 1760
A-Eng. SB 52
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
purposive sample of affordable housing development projects completed within the last five
years.
(c) Examine regional variations within this state to assess whether identifiable economic
factors vary regionally and whether potential impacts differ by location in the production of
affordable housing units.
(5) In preparing the report required under this section, the director shall consult with
individuals and entities having relevant knowledge and representing diverse regions and
perspectives and that are involved in affordable housing production initiatives, including but
not limited to:
(a) Developers and construction firms;
(b) Labor;
(c) Community organizations; and
(d) State and local government agencies.
(6) For the purpose of conducting the study described in this section, the director may
enter into a contract with a public, private or nonprofit research entity.
(7) All agencies of state government, as defined in ORS 174.111, are directed to assist the
director and any entity working under contract with the director in conducting the study
and, to the extent permitted by laws related to confidentiality, to furnish information and
advice necessary for the director or contractor to complete the study.
(8) The report shall contain recommendations that emerge from the research that in-
clude policy considerations to assist with the financial feasibility of affordable housing de-
velopments under different market and environmental conditions while allowing for mixed
use within developments, including specialty services such as childcare, nonprofits or com-
mercial spaces.
(9) The director shall submit a report in the manner provided by ORS 192.245 to the in-
terim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to housing no later than August 15,
2026.
SECTION 2.
This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
[2]