Organizations in Harney & Malheur Counties receive housing grants
By Logan Bagett on Wednesday, February 14th, 2024 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
BURNS / ONTARIO – Two organizations within Harney County, and one in Malheur County are slated to receive housing funding from the Oregon Housing and Community Services. The Burns Paiute Tribe, Housing Authority of Harney County, and Housing Authority of Malheur County each will receive $245,000.
Find the press release from the OHCS below:
(Press Release from Oregon Housing and Community Services)
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) announced funding awards of more than $1.7 million in General Housing Account Program (GHAP) Capacity Building grants to seven rural housing organizations throughout the state to increase their capacity to address housing needs in their communities.
The organizations are:
- Burns Paiute Tribe
- Housing Authority of Malheur & Harney County
- Clatsop Community Action
- Community Services Consortium (Linn, Benton, Lincoln counties)
- North Bend City / Coos-Curry Housing Authorities
- Peace at Home Advocacy Center (Douglas County)
- Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation (Hood River, Wasco, Sherman counties)
Each organization will receive $245,000 to create organizational and regional capacity strengthening opportunities through this grant toward development of service-enriched housing. These funds were allocated through the Homeless Housing Response and Capacity Strengthening Notice of Funding Availability.
“Living in a rural community like the South Coast, we lack the infrastructure that larger population centers have to develop services and housing. As a result, communities like ours are often left with an aging housing stock and few resources to address the issue,” said Matt Vorderstrasse, executive director of North Bend City/Coos-Curry Housing Authorities. “Having GHAP Capacity Building funds from OHCS is the perfect partnership to address this. These funds will be used to help continue the amazing regional network that has been built over the past four years and enhance it with planning that will also strategically grow our local public housing authorities to address our affordable housing and homelessness crisis.”
The awardees will use funds to plan and prepare their organization and region to build affordable rental developments that serve people experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. HOME ARP will hold the current development funds for two years for these organizations to access first.
“Our rural and Tribal partners are essential in advancing progress on Oregon’s housing. It is crucial that we do our part toward ensuring rural Oregon has the tools and resources needed to deploy regionalized strategies,” said OHCS Director Andrea Bell. “We are pleased to provide this funding so these organizations can develop the infrastructure necessary to create housing solutions specific to the needs in their communities.”
For more information on the General Housing Account Capacity Building Program, visit the OHCS website.
