Committee hears bill to expand long-term rental help to youth under 25

The Senate Committee on Housing and Development heard testimony Feb. 5 on Senate Bill 814, which would change eligibility for an existing long-term rental assistance program to include young people age 25 or younger, and add people “at risk of becoming homeless” in specific situations, including those residing in childcare centers or confined in correctional facilities.

Debbie Martin, legislative coordinator for the Oregon Youth Authority, told the committee the bill grew from work by the governor's interagency council on homelessness and is intended to fill gaps that leave youth exiting custody or systems without stable housing. She described a case of a young person leaving OYA’s custody who ran out of resources in an independent-living placement and later reentered the justice system after moving in with other justice-involved family members. Martin said the agency will seek an amendment to correct a statutory reference used in the bill’s current draft and urged the committee to support the measure so the agency can be “at the planning table” for program design.

Casey Houlihan, legislative and government relations coordinator for Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), described the bill as aligning with the agency’s housing-stability work and Governor Kotek’s priorities. Houlihan said the bill’s intent is to make rental assistance available earlier — to youths “at risk of becoming homeless” rather than only after they are already homeless — and noted that eligibility details and program specifics will require follow-up with program staff. “My understanding right now is that homeless youth under the age of 25 would be eligible for the long term rental assistance program for youth,” Houlihan told the committee, “however, they are required to be homeless first.” He said the bill seeks to remove that gap so some justice‑involved youth can receive assistance before housing loss occurs.

Jonathan Clay, representing Multifamily Northwest, spoke in support and said housing providers are willing to collaborate on directing resources to young people who most need them; he described young adults leaving foster care or experiencing homelessness as facing “insurmountable barriers” and called expanded long-term rental assistance an “important step.”

Committee members asked for more detail about program duration and other operational specifics; OHCS witnesses said they would provide clarifications and that a technical amendment is expected. No committee action or vote was taken at the hearing.