With housing prices nearly doubling in the last 10 years, the number of Oregonians who can afford to buy a home without assistance has dwindled and a new coalition has formed to change it.
The Unlocking Home Ownership Coalition is made up of more than 20 Oregon organizations, and is submitting plans to the Legislature to help address the problem. The plans include investing in affordable housing, assistance for first-time homebuyers, and closing the 15% homeownership gap for communities of color.
Shannon Villehauer, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Oregon, which is leading the coalition, said helping people get a home is the right thing to do.
“Some Oregonians have just done all the right things, right? Worked on credit repair, saving for a down payment,” Villehauer outlined. “And yet interest rates are high, wages have not kept pace with home prices, and sometimes we all need a hand up to enter this first-time homeownership market.”
She noted people of color, especially African Americans, have a long history of being excluded from homeownership in Oregon. The state constitution originally banned Black people from owning land. Some were also denied benefits through the GI Bill, or were subject to redlining into the 1990s.
Villehauer pointed out Portland is an obvious example of systemic racism around housing.
“That’s a city where we did have redlining; where a highway was built through generational, African American foundational wealth, and that wealth was actively stripped from communities,” Villehauer explained.
Owning a home means having long-term, stable housing costs and is often more affordable over time than renting. Along with the financial benefits, Villehauer added studies show kids who grow up in homes their parents own are more likely to graduate from high school and go to college and are more likely to own their own homes.
“When we talk about really generational opportunity and the springboard to being a fully contributing and supported member of the community, we really think that homeownership is a critical piece of that puzzle,” Villehauer emphasized.
Heading into the 2025 session, Villehauer is optimistic with the number of state legislators making affordable housing a top priority, the coalition’s proposals will move forward.