PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Governor Tina Kotek has signed the $200 million Affordable Housing & Emergency Homelessness Response Package Wednesday afternoon, following passage from the state legislature earlier in March.
The package, which includes HB 2001 and HB 5019, fully funds Kotek’s Homelessness State of Emergency and aims to shelter and prevent homelessness and boost housing production — including for middle-income earners.
The package includes $54 million in rental assistance and rehousing programs for those who are homeless, $33.5 million for eviction defense and $23.8 million towards adding 600 shelter beds in metro areas.
The bills are what Kotek called a down payment in efforts to stop homelessness.
Kotek declared a Homeless State of Emergency in Oregon on her first day in office, promising that she would convince lawmakers to quickly come up with millions to help out.
The signing comes after it passed the Senate on March 22, with Kotek saying she is “deeply grateful to the housing providers, developers, landlords, advocates, impacted communities, and elected leaders on both sides of the aisle who have answered one of Oregon’s most pressing calls for help by supporting this response package.”
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