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Committee hears bill to fund local poverty‑reduction plans for high‑poverty Oregon communities
Summary
House Bill 3,837 would appropriate $2,775,000 to Business Oregon to support locally designed poverty‑reduction plans in cities and federally recognized tribes with census tracts showing 23% or higher poverty rates; public testimony highlighted tailoring funds to community size and tribal inclusion.
The House Committee on Economic Development, Small Business and Trade held a public hearing March 24 on House Bill 3,837, which would appropriate $2,775,000 to Business Oregon to distribute grants for developing local poverty‑reduction plans in Oregon jurisdictions with concentrated poverty.
State Representative Ricky Ruiz, who introduced the bill to the committee, said HB 3,837 is a reintroduction of a 2023 measure and would provide scaled grants allowing small cities and tribes to receive up to $75,000, midsize communities up to $150,000, and large jurisdictions up to $300,000. "This bill is a reintroduction of House Bill 34 66 from the 2023 legislative session," Representative Ricky Ruiz said, and he urged the committee to pass the measure to secure resources for the state's most vulnerable communities.
The bill's summary, read into the record, states that eligible communities are cities or federally recognized tribes that contain one or more census tracts with a federal poverty rate of 23% or more. It allows Business Oregon to withhold $200,000 for program administration and declares an emergency so the appropriation would be effective on passage.
Witnesses emphasized the need for locally tailored, data‑driven plans that engage businesses, nonprofits, schools and faith organizations. "By providing targeted grants to communities and federally recognized Indian tribes with high poverty rates, it ensures that local governments have the resources needed to develop data driven community led poverty reduction plans," said Mikael Johnson, Oregon resource navigator for the Northwest Native Chamber, who testified remotely.
Committee members asked about geographic eligibility and whether very rural places without city governments would qualify. Representative Ruiz responded that the grant design anticipates collaboration with nearby governments and partners, and that award structures could be adapted to county‑level approaches if needed to reach remote communities.
Representative Yonker and other members raised concerns that some of the poorest ZIP codes are in rural, unincorporated areas with limited government capacity to apply for grants; Ruiz said the proposal envisions partnerships with local nonprofits, faith organizations and businesses to support planning in those contexts.
There was no final vote at the hearing; the committee closed the public hearing on HB 3,837 after testimony and questions.
The bill summary and testimony in the record include the total appropriation ($2,775,000), the $200,000 administrative set‑aside for Business Oregon, eligibility criteria tied to census‑tract poverty rates (23%+), and the recommended per‑jurisdiction grant caps ($75,000 / $150,000 / $300,000).
