Bill would fund conversion of scattered‑site public homes into community land trust ownership

Representative April Dobson opened public testimony March 3 in support of House Bill 3,503, a bill that would appropriate $4,200,000 to the Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Department for a pilot to convert scattered‑site public housing into permanently affordable community land trust homes.

"I am passionate about preserving the affordable housing we already have as a key plank in our strategy, and that is what this bill is about," said Rep. April Dobson (R‑HD 39), who described the pilot as focused on homes the Clackamas County Housing Authority is ready to divest. Clackamas County Commissioner Paul Savas told the committee the housing authority owns 145 scattered single‑family homes under the federal Section 9 public housing program; HB 3,503 would fund converting 70 of those units into permanently affordable…