Representative Ed Deal outlines bill to make state agencies inventory rules and lands to boost housing production

Salem, Ore. — Representative Ed Deal on April 30 presented House Bill 3,943 in an informational session before the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness, asking state agencies to inventory rules and state-owned land to identify changes that could promote housing production.

The bill would require executive-branch agencies to, within 60 days of the bill’s effective date, identify agency rules that may impede new housing, report whether rules could be amended or rescinded to ease regulatory burdens, evaluate state-owned land for housing potential and propose agency strategies to facilitate housing development. Deal said the measure is intended to align agency practices with Governor Kotek’s goal of 36,000 new housing units annually and to put state assets and rules to work for housing production.

Representative Ed Deal, the bill’s sponsor, described HB 3,943 as a low-cost transparency and accountability measure that complements recommendations from the Housing Production Advisory Council and other legislative proposals. “By mandating this review, we compel state government to examine its own role in either helping or hindering housing development,” Deal said.

Joel Mattson, manager of the Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPO) at the Department of Land Conservation and Development, told the committee the office has no formal position on HB 3,943 but is already conducting related work under the statute that created HAPO (Senate Bill 1537). Mattson said HAPO’s statutory report will evaluate agency practices, policies and programs for barriers to housing production and is scheduled to be delivered to the legislature in September 2026. He said HAPO also is working with housing producers and local governments to navigate the state-owned lands inventory dashboard.

Palmer Mason, HAPO’s interagency coordinator, described the office as a joint effort between DLCD and the Building Codes Division (Department of Consumer and Business Services) created by SB 1537. Mason said HAPO is beginning an evaluation of state agency practices and will look for opportunities to consolidate or standardize forms and information that agencies request from project applicants as a practical first step to reduce time and cost.

Developer and realtor Reuben Shug told the committee he has seen builders leave Oregon because of permitting delays and inconsistent rules and said predictable, timely processes attract investment. Shug said streamlining agency rules and permitting could reduce developers’ interest expense and time-to-market, which in his experience can materially affect feasibility.

Representatives on the committee discussed next steps and related measures: Rep. Mannix suggested a voluntary standardized permitting process that communities could adopt; other members noted a separate permitting-accountability bill will be before the committee the following week. Committee members asked HAPO staff whether other states’ dashboards or permit-timing policies are being considered; HAPO staff said California and Washington offer examples and that Pennsylvania has implemented permit-timing dashboards in some programs.

HAPO staff said the office is considering a consultant-led evaluation and that the September 2026 report will also identify how limited state resources (funding, technical assistance, data and expertise) could be better leveraged to increase housing production. Members and HAPO staff agreed the work would be iterative and would inform potential statutory refinement in future sessions.