Oregonian Locked Out Fair/Affordable Housing Series: A 1 Year Update.

It's been a year since the June 2012 Oregonian Locked Out series on affordable and fair housing.  I thought an update on my understanding of progress to date to address issues related to the series might be timely.

LIHTC and QAP (My prior post is HERE).

1. The QAP has a provision for a basis boost for low poverty neighborhoods. 
2. The QAP has  a provision permitting affirmatively furthering fair housing waivers.
3. The QAP has a commitment to facilitate over the next six months a work group to research and recommend Fair Housing policies for program adoption that will be incorporated into Permanent Rules.
4. I successfully merged HUD LIHTC data with ACS poverty data for Oregon projects and recommended that HUD do the same for their national database (Prior post is HERE). I anticipate that OHCS staff will add 2010 Census Track/BG ID's to their LIHTC database to make merging with ACS and other GEO data easier.

Voucher Mobility Agreement with Home Forward and Clackamas County (My prior post is HERE). 

1. Clackamas county has requested from the local HUD Field Office a 120% FMR exception payment standard rents for large bedroom sizes, but I am not sure of the outcome of their request. (My post HERE explains how ANY housing authority may research and, if appropriate, file a request for HUD approval of exception payment standards from 110-120% of FMR).
2. Both Clackamas County and Multnomah County have selectively adopted higher payment standards (up to 110% of the FMR) for different areas.  Home Forward payment standards, which also show Clackamas County zip codes are HERE. I don't have any current information on how many fewer vouchers were issued because of the use of these higher payment standards.
3. I don't have any information on how many Home Forward vouchers are in use in Clackamas County and vice versa. I expect a full update on program outcomes some time after the July 1st anniversary of the agreement.

City of Portland
Has published an annual update to their Fair Housing Plan

Lake Oswego

1. Has repealed the Foothills Urban Renewal plan and $6 million in affordable housing funding. 
2. Is in the process of removing several improvements in their draft comprehensive plan related to housing.
3. Is considering $5 million in fee waivers and other concessions for a 240 unit apartment project in an existing downtown urban renewal area that would have starting monthly rents of $1,500. 

West Linn
Nada; an update to their existing comp plan is delayed indefinitely.

Clackamas County
Published a new Analysis of Impediments.


Washington County

1. For unincorporated areas the County Commission adopted an ordinance that provides, for the first time, property tax exemptions for affordable housing projects. (Staff analysis of the proposed ordinance is HERE. Ordinance 761, adopted March 26, 2013 is HERE).

Metro 

1. Has a lengthy equity planning process, and has recently received applications for an equity working group. 
2. Participated in the development of a national Housing /Transportation affordability portal. (Prior post HERE).
3. An updated Equity Atlas is scheduled to be released in June. 
4. Has funded a mobility pilot program for voucher holders (I don't know current status). 
5. MPAC has affordable housing on the agenda for a June 26th meeting.  
6. Has taken no action to incorporate affordable housing in the evaluation of local applications for the use of Construction Excise funds. (My prior post is HERE).

Did I Miss Something? 
IF I have missed any relevant Fair Housing related actions in the Portland metro area in the last year, feel free to add a comment, with links to relevant documents. 

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.