Affordable Housing Put at Risk by Poor Management

Oregon's affordable housing stock is at risk because of a variety of issues including a lack of strategic planning, an audit by the Secretary of State's Office found. The audit also found problems with poor data tracking and a lack of communication in the Oregon Housing and Community Services.

"We can't help address Oregon’s housing crisis if we lose existing affordable housing," Secretary of State Jeanne P. Atkins said. "The loss of even a single rental unit could mean one or more Oregon families may not be able to find a home.

"This agency has been through a lot of change and uncertainty in recent years, but now they need to address the issues we've identified so they can help ensure Oregonians have stable and affordable housing."

The audit concluded that while OHCS was created to be the state's leader on housing, it hasn't provided sufficient leadership during Oregon's housing crisis.

Auditors found that OHCS is falling short on its requirement to complete an annual statewide housing plan, in large part because it does not have an accurate, reliable inventory of affordable housing around the state. Outdated data systems are also contributing to incomplete and error-prone data.

"Partnerships with housing developers, funders, advocates, and others in the housing community, are a crucial part of preserving low-income affordable housing," said Atkins. "However, the audit found that OHCS needs to improve its relationships with stakeholders through better communications and transparency."

State auditors identified four main areas they recommend OHCS work to improve: affordable housing preservation efforts, strategic planning, data management, and organizational issues. Some of the major organizational issues auditors identified included poor communication, inconsistent staffing and workload levels, and inadequate policies and procedures.

Photo of Bronaugh Apartments courtesy Secretary of State's Office