Nearly $600 million to boost housing production and shelter the homeless top Gov. Tina’s Kotek’s priorities for the upcoming short legislative session, she said Tuesday.
Her highest priority bill would pump $500 million into housing production, she said. Along with covering development costs, the money could be spent on technical assistance for small communities, housing-related infrastructure or other housing-related needs.
“I am really urging legislators to be bold with one time money and make sure we can move forward on our housing production goals,” Kotek said.
Kotek’s office hopes to earmark an additional $65 million to increase shelter capacity and $33 million for rental assistance.
Lawmakers, not the governor, have the final say on state spending.
More shelter funding would allow the state to be more strategic in supporting shelters and responding to local needs, Kotek said.
“What we have been trying to figure out is, what do local communities need? How are they funding them now?” Kotek said. “The (federal) money that was received in the pandemic stood up a lot of shelters ... How do we maintain that so we can have an ongoing system that actually works for communities?”
In addition to housing, Kotek said her other priorities for the 35 day session — which begins Feb. 5 — include early literacy, public safety and improving customer service at state agencies.
“We’re going to continue to stay focused on our youngest learners,” she said, by “making sure that some of the early literacy resources that were approved by the Legislature can get released, talking about the needs in early intervention and employment related daycare, and issues around summer learning.”
Kotek said the state needs to allocate $59 million more to ensure that all families who qualify for expanded day care subsidies the Legislature approved in 2023 can get the help. The state also needs to allocate $22 million more to fully fund early intervention programs, which serve young children with disabilities, Kotek said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kotek vowed to bring major changes to the state’s school funding process, a day after Portland Public School students and teachers returned to classrooms after the district’s first ever teacher’s strike.
Kotek said the short session will allow the Legislature to tackle smaller needs, such as a one-time $19 million boost for the Oregon Department of Transportation to fund overtime and equipment costs for winter road maintenance.
Public safety will be another focus of the session, Kotek said. The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response is recommending action on several health and safety-related bills, she noted.
— Carlos Fuentes; cfuentes@oregonian.com; 503-221-5386; @carlos_reports
Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe