Committee hears package to protect tenants as affordability restrictions expire; advocates seek mitigation fund and dashboard improvements

The Senate Committee on Housing and Development on March 3 held a public hearing on a three-bill preservation package: Senate Bill 973, Senate Bill 31 (two dash versions), and Senate Bill 32. The bills are designed to protect tenants and improve information and resources when publicly supported affordable housing loses its affordability restrictions.

LPRO staff summarized the three measures. Senate Bill 973 would require landlords of publicly supported housing to provide written notice of ending affordability restrictions to applicants, new tenants, and extend the minimum notice provided to existing tenants. The LPRO summary said SB 973 "extends the minimum notice that must be provided to existing tenants from 20 months to 30 months" and directs the Housing and Community Services Department to adopt rules for notices and translations. Senate Bill 31 (dash 1 and dash 2 variants) would allow Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to award grants to qualifying housing sponsors to provide one-time financial subgrants to tenants whose housing is being withdrawn from affordability restrictions, creating an expiring affordability mitigation fund. Senate Bill 32 would require OHCS to publish additional data on publicly supported affordable housing on its…