SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is investing in Oregon’s next generation of builders through partnerships that give young people experience in the skilled trades while helping meet critical housing needs. From expanding affordable housing in Prineville to building emergency shelters for wildfire survivors in Albany, these programs prepare young Oregonians for careers in construction while strengthening communities across the state. 

“Building Oregon’s future starts with investing in the people who will build it,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “That's why we're working to give young Oregonians real construction experience while creating lasting benefits for communities.”   

As Oregon faces a growing shortage of skilled construction workers and an ongoing need for affordable housing, OHCS is supporting programs that connect young people to careers in skilled trades. By supporting hands-on learning opportunities alongside affordable housing and disaster recovery projects, the agency is helping prepare the workforce needed to build the homes Oregon will rely on for decades to come. 

Last month’s Camp Ready2Respond in Albany is one example of one of those programs. At the camp, more than 70 students in the construction track built 10 sheds and shelters that will support families recovering from wildfires. OHCS provided $250,000 in educator scholarships, ensuring teachers had the materials and funds to attend with their students. Team Oregon Build supports the camp in partnership with several state agencies and public and private partners. 

Students also received training in building fire-resistant structures, giving them practical skills that can help Oregon communities become more resilient as wildfires become more frequent and severe. 

“There’s a big gap in terms of needing young people to move into construction trades and be part of our recovery process,” said Jim Taylor, development and production lead for Disaster Recovery at OHCS. 

OHCS is making similar investments through affordable housing developments that provide young people with hands-on construction experience while expanding homeownership opportunities. In 2023, OHCS awarded $1.4 million in Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) funds and $2.4 million in LIFT supplemental funds to Thistle & Nest to develop Solace at Iron Horse, a 20-home affordable homeownership community in Prineville. As part of the project, participants in Heart of Oregon Corps’ YouthBuild program worked alongside construction professionals to help build two homes, gaining hands-on experience and earning industry certifications and practical job skills. 

YouthBuild participants installed siding, framing, and windows; completed interior painting; laid flooring; installed trim; and hung doors. The two homes they helped construct are expected to be complete in mid-August. 

“Having the kids on the construction site was great for morale,” said Amy Warren, board president of Thistle and Nest. “It creates a culture where experienced professionals want to lead by example and demonstrate good work ethic.” 

Together, these investments demonstrate how workforce development and housing can go hand in hand. By connecting young Oregonians to careers in the skilled trades, OHCS is helping build the workforce needed to increase housing production and create economic opportunity for future generations. 

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) 

OHCS is Oregon's housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians with low and moderate incomes. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs. 

SALEM, Ore. – Stewardship Development, Klamath Housing Authority (KHA), and Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) are partnering to celebrate a new 100% affordable housing development in Klamath Falls. The grand opening of Mountainview Townhomes takes place at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23. All 72 of the new development's homes are at affordable rates. 

"The opening of Mountainview Townhomes represents an important milestone for our community,” stated KHA Development Director Diana Otero. “It not only provides safe, stable homes for families but also creates opportunities for hope, connection, and a stronger sense of belonging. This development reflects our ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all residents. We are proud to celebrate this achievement and look forward to the positive difference it will make in the lives of individuals and families for years to come." 

Mountainview Townhomes received 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, as well as Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credits, and Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) funds from OHCS. National Equity Fund (NEF) is the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) syndicator. Construction lending is provided by US Bank; permanent financing is through Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH). Oregon Department of Energy provided an energy grant to assist with the installation of solar panels, and Cascade Health Alliance also provided a grant to fund this development. Additionally, Mountainview Townhomes received eight project-based vouchers to serve very low-income families and individuals. 

“Rural Oregon is vital to our state’s past, present, and future,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “There is so much more at stake here than just investments in housing. It is an investment in making everyday life better, made possible by locally led, community-driven visions. As the world and economy change, we need to meet the urgency that this moment requires. The leaders who made Mountainview Townhomes possible are showing how it’s done.” 

The complex features 12 residential buildings offering a mix of one- and two-story townhomes with one-, two-, and three-bedroom floor plans. The development also includes a dedicated community building that provides a gathering space for residents, as well as an outdoor sports field and playground, a fenced dog run, and a community garden. Each home is equipped with energy-efficient appliances and fixtures, and residents have access to onsite parking.

Event Details 

When: 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 23

Where: 5582 Kennebeck Loop, Klamath Falls, OR 97603

The ceremony will take place at Mountainview Townhomes in the courtyard behind the Community Building.  

About Stewardship Development 

Stewardship Development is a Eugene, Oregon-based affordable housing developer with a focus on responsible development and community stewardship. Stewardship’s mission is to address the growing demand for affordable housing solutions in Oregon and beyond by developing and maintaining housing for low to moderate income individuals and families. To learn more please visit our website: stewardshipdevelopment.com 

About Klamath Housing Authority 

Klamath Housing Authority (KHA) was established in 1976 as a local government entity created by Oregon State Statute 456. KHA serves over 1300 families and individuals in Klamath and Lake counties in Oregon. KHA’s Mission: To provide low-income individuals in Klamath and Lake counties with the opportunity to obtain affordable housing and achieve self-sufficiency. For additional information please visit: klamathhousing.org 

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)  

OHCS is Oregon's housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of low and moderate income. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs 

SALEM, OR — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) selected five projects through the Factory-Produced Housing Initiative to support the construction of 117 affordable rental and for-sale homes for Oregonians throughout the state.  

The initiative, created out of House Bill 3145 in the 2025 Legislative Session, seeks to spur awareness and adoption of factory-produced housing across Oregon and will fund up to five factory-produced housing (FPH) projects with Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) set-aside funds for a total of $25 million. Factory-produced housing, such as modular homes, is an alternative to traditional site-built construction, with the potential to produce homes more quickly and at a lower cost.

AGE+ is one of the organizations, along with Blazer Modular Construction that was selected and plans to use the funding to build 40 fully accessible, affordable homes for older adults in Phoenix, Ore., replacing housing lost in the Almeda Fire. The project, Phoenix Commons, will be built using modular housing construction, reducing per-unit costs and cutting the construction schedule by several months.

“This project represents more than new housing,” said Stephanie Hooper, president and CEO of AGE+. “It creates a model for how communities can respond to the needs of an aging population and demonstrates that innovative housing solutions can be delivered quickly while preserving affordability, accessibility, and community connection.”

Over the past three years, AGE+ and Blazer Modular Construction have collaborated to refine and standardize an age-friendly design, which is now ready for replication.

"We are proud to partner with AGE+ to deliver high-quality, accessible homes at a fraction of the traditional construction timeline," said Kendra Cox, business development manager at Blazer Modular Construction. "The Phoenix Commons project proves that factory-produced housing is a highly viable, cost-effective solution to Oregon's urgent housing needs."

Illahee Timber Townhomes is a 27 home, permanently affordable, for-sale housing development in Gresham that is being built by Hacienda CDC and CedarStone Build & Design. All homes are built off-site using Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels produced at CedarStone’s facility in Eugene. These panels form the walls, floors, and roofs, making the homes stronger, more airtight, and faster to assemble than conventional construction. This approach allows a three-person crew to build an entire home in just two to three days.

“Oregon’s housing shortage requires us to rethink not only where we build homes, but how we build them,” said Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda CDC. “This investment recognizes the potential of factory-produced housing to deliver high-quality, permanently affordable homes more efficiently and at greater scale. Through our Mass Casitas program and collaboration with OHCS and CedarStone Build & Design, Hacienda CDC is helping demonstrate how mass timber and factory-produced housing can accelerate the delivery of affordable homeownership opportunities.” 

The FPH LIFT applicant pool was highly competitive, with more than 32 applications received across the state and over $165 million in funds requested. Applicants must still go through the traditional Homeownership Development Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) or Oregon Centralized Application (ORCA) processes before the awards are finalized. Because there were more eligible projects than the set-aside could support, a list of high-scoring alternate projects will be held until Sept. 1, 2026, in case a selected project does not pass.  

“Housing makes so many things possible,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “We are very much living in a time when innovation is shaping and reshaping how we how we meet the everyday needs of Oregonians. Innovation in its richest form should be helping to address the concerns of everyday people and local leaders are helping us deliver on that promise.” 

These factory-built projects are still in the early stages of the funding process and were selected for potential access to the Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) set-aside. In addition to more information about the Factory-Produced Housing Initiative, a list of the projects that were selected, are alternates, or not selected can be found on the OHCS website.  

About Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) 

OHCS is Oregon's housing finance agency. The state agency provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality, affordable housing for Oregonians of low and moderate income. OHCS administers programs that provide housing stabilization. OHCS delivers these programs primarily through grants, contracts, and loan agreements with local partners and community-based providers. For more information, please visit: oregon.gov/ohcs.