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Committee hears bill to extend property tax exemption to preexisting limited-equity housing co-ops
Summary
House Bill 3232 would remove a date restriction so the low-income rental housing property tax exemption can apply to limited-equity housing cooperatives formed before the original cutoff date; city and county officials and co-op advocates told the House Committee on Revenue they support the change.
The House Committee on Revenue opened a public hearing Tuesday on House Bill 3232, which would remove a date requirement in Oregon’s low-income rental housing property tax exemption so the benefit can apply to limited-equity housing cooperatives that were established before the original statute’s effective date.
A staff presenter summarized the bill for the committee, saying, “House Bill 3,232 removes the requirement for the low income rental housing property tax exemption that limited equity cooperative property be constructed or converted after the city or county adopts the exemption program.”
Paul Howard, a public witness, described the bill as “simply a housekeeping bill to remove the date stipulation from the previous legislation so that property tax exemption can apply to housing co operatives that were established before that date.” Ethan Nelson, representing the City of Eugene, said the city supports HB 3232 and noted the measure would allow the East Blair Housing Co-op, established in 1981, to qualify for the tax-exempt status under Eugene’s low-income rental housing property tax exemption program.
Nelson added that limited-equity co-ops are “a viable opportunity for low income households to be able to, build equity into a forever home for a lot of folks,” and said Eugene has seen renewed interest in creating additional co-ops. Committee members asked staff for the prior bill numbers that initially established the exemption; staff said the provision originated with House Bill 2446 and was later incorporated into House Bill 2080 (the omnibus bill enacted in 2023).
No formal action or vote was recorded in the hearing. The committee closed the public hearing after the scheduled witnesses testified and no additional questions were raised.
The bill’s proponents asked the committee to advance the measure so existing limited-equity co-ops that predate the earlier statutory cutoff can access the tax exemption.
