The Oregon Legislature enrolled HB 2003 in 2019, directing the Department of Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to develop a methodology for a regional housing needs analysis for the state. ECONorthwest created the methodology and then implemented it for all regions and cities across the State. The results provide a first-ever comprehensive look at statewide housing needs, including projected housing to accommodate 20 years of population growth, underproduction of housing to accommodate the current population, and units needed for those who are experiencing homelessness. The methodology considered trends in density and the average mix of housing types, demographic and population trends, economic trends and cycles, and the equitable distribution of publicly supported housing within a region. Stakeholders and state departments provided feedback, consultation, and key data to inform the analysis.
In 2021, the Legislature enrolled HB 5006 which directed OHCS and the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) to develop recommendations on how to implement the regional housing needs analysis – now called the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (OHNA) – into Oregon’s land use planning systems. ECONorthwest led a team of consultants to assist DLCD and OHCS in developing these recommendations, including substantial stakeholder engagement, facilitation of a working group, technical analysis to improve the methodology, and ongoing adoption support leading to the 2023 legislative session. If implemented, the OHNA will be the cornerstone of a reformed housing planning system. It provides a comprehensive, city-by-city estimate of housing need by income, along with data and information about how local housing outcomes vary by race and ethnicity, age, disability status, and other identity markers. The implementation recommendations suggest meaningful changes to the state’s Goal 10 housing planning systems, state agency coordination, and public funding for housing development to help Oregon dig out of its undersupply.
