York Region Launches New Housing and Homelessness Committee To Tackle Growing Crisis
● York Region is facing a deepening housing crisis, with homelessness up 35 percent and waitlists for subsidized housing surpassing 18,000 households.
● Chronic homelessness more than doubled in 2024, while the number of encampments increased nearly sixfold.
● A new Housing and Homelessness Committee has been established with a broad mandate to address the full range of housing needs across the Region.
● The committee will help develop York Region's next 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan and focus on accelerating emergency, transitional, affordable, and community housing.
● Reporting to Regional Council, the committee will include Regional Chairman Eric Jolliffe and the region's nine local mayors.
● Backing the new committee, Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt cited its potential for needed action and progress on the Region's housing file.
With homelessness surging and housing unaffordability at crisis levels, York Region is shifting course in its approach to tackling a growing emergency. The Region has disbanded a task force created to better understand market conditions and will launch a new body tasked with shaping solutions across the entire housing spectrum.
Demand for diverse housing options significantly exceeds available supply throughout the region. Shortages span multiple categories, including emergency shelters, transitional facilities, affordable rentals, and community housing developments.
As
reported
in the Region's 2024 Health and Well-Being Review, the situation deteriorated sharply in 2024. Waitlists for subsidized housing ballooned to 18,419 households, including 4,500 new applications. Homelessness rose 35 percent from the previous year, with 2,525 individuals reported as experiencing homelessness.
Cases of chronic homelessness more than doubled, increasing 108 percent to 986 people. The number of encampments grew nearly sixfold—from 62 locations in 2021 to 361 in 2024—and emergency shelter beds are operating at or near capacity.
Officials have stressed that reversing these trends requires a comprehensive approach aimed at preventing homelessness and ensuring stable housing options across all socio-economic levels.
As a designated Service Manager under Ontario's Housing Services Act, York Region oversees the area's housing and homelessness system. The Region is responsible for planning and implementing long-term strategies, administering prevention programs, and managing emergency, transitional, and community housing operations.
After declaring a housing affordability crisis in February 2021, York Regional Council established the Housing Affordability Task Force to examine private market conditions and seek policy solutions. The Task Force held eight meetings between 2021 and 2024 before being formally discharged on March 30, 2025.
In its place, the Region is launching a new Housing and Homelessness Committee (the Committee) with a wider mandate to pursue system-wide solutions. Its responsibilities include shaping the next 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan and accelerating development of new affordable, community, emergency, and transitional housing alongside increased federal and provincial funding.
The Committee will advocate for multi-level government investment and evaluate the effectiveness of Regional housing strategies. It will also examine how to better leverage public and private lands, explore innovative and more efficient construction methods, and build strategic public and private partnerships to expedite housing initiatives.
Regional Chairman Eric Jolliffe and all nine local mayors will sit on the Committee, which is scheduled to meet at least three times annually. Four meetings are already planned for 2025.
'As demand continues to outpace supply and more residents struggle to find and keep housing, addressing York Region's housing and homelessness challenges remains a priority for Council,' Jolliffe said in a recent press release. 'This Special Committee of Council will have the opportunity to explore and better understand the complexities and identify solutions to improve the current housing and homelessness crisis occurring across our municipalities.'
The municipal planning landscape has evolved following the implementation of Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, which transferred land use planning authority from York Region to its lower-tier municipalities. This change makes the involvement of local mayors in Regional housing strategies even more critical.
'Local municipalities are integral partners in advancing the Region's housing and homelessness priorities,' a related Regional Staff
report
states. 'The Housing and Homelessness Committee can support coordination of local municipal efforts and strengthen collaboration on initiatives to address housing needs of residents.'
Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt welcomed the creation of the new committee, calling it another important step in addressing the Region's housing challenges.
'The previous Housing Affordability Task force was helpful in understanding market conditions and pressures facing our communities,' Lovatt said in comments to Bullet Point News. 'I'm hopeful this new committee will take decisive action to make housing attainable for all.'
The Committee will oversee implementation of the new Housing and Homelessness Plan once it is approved by Regional Council. A progress report is expected in December 2026.
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Hamilton Spectator
30-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Stouffville May Escalate Push to Open Protected Lands for Additional Housing
● Stouffville's Council will debate a proposal June 4 requesting expanded housing permissions on Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt lands from the Ontario government. ● The recommendations encourage the Province to allow two Additional Residential Units (ARUs) per rural property. ● Currently, ARUs are restricted in key environmental zones like Oak Ridges Moraine Natural Core and Linkage areas and the Greenbelt's Natural Heritage System. ● Staff say expanded ARUs could support multi-generational living, affordable housing, and secondary income for rural residents. ● Critics have condemned such expansion of development permissions, saying they threaten conservation efforts. ● The report also recommends broader reforms to conservation area governance, including streamlined processes for minor amendments and expansion of land uses. ● If approved, the Town will submit the request to Provincial ministers and circulate it to other affected municipalities. Stouffville is weighing a bold step that could reshape housing rules on some of Ontario's most protected lands. On June 4, Council will debate a proposal to formally ask the Province to ease development restrictions within the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt. A report prepared in response to a February 2025 Strong Mayor directive from Mayor Iain Lovatt recommends the Province amend both the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP) and the Greenbelt Plan to allow for up to two Additional Residential Units (ARUs) on Stouffville's rural properties. The proposed request would build on Council's April endorsement of a resolution from the Township of Adjala-Tosorontio, which urged the Province to generally amend restrictions preventing property owners on Oak Ridges Moraine lands from building ARUs. Under Ontario's Planning Act, an ARU refers to a second or third self-contained living space. These units can be located within a primary residence or in a detached accessory structure and are permitted on properties with a detached, semi-detached, or townhouse-style home. The proposal would apply across all land designations within the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt, including the Moraine's Natural Core and Linkage areas, and the Greenbelt's Natural Heritage System, where ARUs are currently prohibited. Each ARU would function independently, with its own kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area, and would be required to meet all applicable building and fire code standards. 'The majority of the Town's rural residents are unable to utilize Federal and Provincial incentives to build even a single ARU,' the report explains. 'Allowing for ARUs more broadly would accommodate multi-family residential units on the same lot, allowing older residents to stay in their homes longer, and allow younger families to live in their own units and save money to afford their own home.' 'ARUs can also provide a source of secondary income and contribute to the provision of more affordable housing options within the Town,' the report adds. The recommendations seek to align ARU permissions in the conservation lands with the recently adopted Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 (PPS 2024). That policy document permits up to two ARUs per lot in prime agricultural areas, but only outside protected conservation plan boundaries. This allowance would come with some conditions. When two units are proposed, at least one must be located within or attached to the main home. Guidelines stipulate that ARUs must not interfere with farm operations and must be supported by suitable water and sewage infrastructure. Units must also be of 'limited scale' and situated close to existing homes or farm buildings to avoid unnecessary loss of agricultural land. The Staff report does not advise specific size or scale limits for new accessory structures intended for the ARUs. Instead, it recommends the Province provide general guidance to ensure new development remains appropriately scaled and compatible with the area's rural and environmentally sensitive context. 'Given the environmental sensitivity associated with lands within the Provincial plan areas, it may also be appropriate to include additional development criteria for permitting ARUs to ensure the objectives of the ORMCP and Greenbelt Plan are maintained,' Staff explain. In addition to size considerations, potential criteria could include setbacks from key natural heritage and hydrologic features, as well as vegetation protection zones. 'My Strong Mayor directive was catalyzed by a number of residents facing intergenerational housing inequity who struggle to support their families due to Provincial policy limitations,' Lovatt said in comments to Bullet Point News. 'With a municipality made up of 90% protected lands, reasonable reform is required to address the challenges Stouffville families are facing.' 'This directive does not seek to eliminate protections of the Greenbelt or the ORM, rather it seeks to allow specific permissions at a local level to address our unique realities,' he added. Critics, however, remain opposed to expanding housing and development permissions within the protected areas. The Greenbelt Alliance, a coalition of more than 100 organizations that describes itself as a 'watchdog and defender of Ontario's innovative Greenbelt,' has recently raised concerns about the growing push for ARUs from municipalities within the ORMCP area. 'It takes unwavering vigilance to protect the Greenbelt. Most municipalities think their land is unique. A protected landscape can't be piecemealed by political flow everywhere,' they wrote in an April 13 post on X. Bullet Point News reached out to the umbrella group for comment on the Staff report but did not receive a response by deadline. Beyond ARU permissions, the report proposes a series of broader land use policy reforms intended to update governance within the conservation areas. These changes are designed to grant municipalities greater flexibility in addressing local planning needs. Staff recommend that the Province establish a process for municipalities to make minor amendments to the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt plans without triggering a full provincial review. They also call for a more efficient and clear method for evaluating whether prime agricultural lands can be reclassified as rural. Further recommendations include expanding permissions for small-scale commercial, industrial, and institutional uses within the Greenbelt Plan and ORMCP, and enabling the development of public service facilities—such as fire stations, community centres, and parks—in areas where such development is currently restricted. Town Staff are also requesting a formal process for settlement area expansions into the conservation plan zones where justified by local municipalities. The report calls for the Ontario government to 'expedite the review of these Provincial plans, as opposed to waiting until the mandated 10-year review (anticipated by 2027), to establish a consistent planning framework and ARU permissions across the province and help facilitate the development of needed housing.' If endorsed by Council next week, the Town would submit its request to Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as well as the Ministers of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Red Tape Reduction. The report would also be circulated to other municipalities within the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt areas. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
25-04-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
York Region Launches New Housing and Homelessness Committee To Tackle Growing Crisis
● York Region is facing a deepening housing crisis, with homelessness up 35 percent and waitlists for subsidized housing surpassing 18,000 households. ● Chronic homelessness more than doubled in 2024, while the number of encampments increased nearly sixfold. ● A new Housing and Homelessness Committee has been established with a broad mandate to address the full range of housing needs across the Region. ● The committee will help develop York Region's next 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan and focus on accelerating emergency, transitional, affordable, and community housing. ● Reporting to Regional Council, the committee will include Regional Chairman Eric Jolliffe and the region's nine local mayors. ● Backing the new committee, Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt cited its potential for needed action and progress on the Region's housing file. With homelessness surging and housing unaffordability at crisis levels, York Region is shifting course in its approach to tackling a growing emergency. The Region has disbanded a task force created to better understand market conditions and will launch a new body tasked with shaping solutions across the entire housing spectrum. Demand for diverse housing options significantly exceeds available supply throughout the region. Shortages span multiple categories, including emergency shelters, transitional facilities, affordable rentals, and community housing developments. As reported in the Region's 2024 Health and Well-Being Review, the situation deteriorated sharply in 2024. Waitlists for subsidized housing ballooned to 18,419 households, including 4,500 new applications. Homelessness rose 35 percent from the previous year, with 2,525 individuals reported as experiencing homelessness. Cases of chronic homelessness more than doubled, increasing 108 percent to 986 people. The number of encampments grew nearly sixfold—from 62 locations in 2021 to 361 in 2024—and emergency shelter beds are operating at or near capacity. Officials have stressed that reversing these trends requires a comprehensive approach aimed at preventing homelessness and ensuring stable housing options across all socio-economic levels. As a designated Service Manager under Ontario's Housing Services Act, York Region oversees the area's housing and homelessness system. The Region is responsible for planning and implementing long-term strategies, administering prevention programs, and managing emergency, transitional, and community housing operations. After declaring a housing affordability crisis in February 2021, York Regional Council established the Housing Affordability Task Force to examine private market conditions and seek policy solutions. The Task Force held eight meetings between 2021 and 2024 before being formally discharged on March 30, 2025. In its place, the Region is launching a new Housing and Homelessness Committee (the Committee) with a wider mandate to pursue system-wide solutions. Its responsibilities include shaping the next 10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan and accelerating development of new affordable, community, emergency, and transitional housing alongside increased federal and provincial funding. The Committee will advocate for multi-level government investment and evaluate the effectiveness of Regional housing strategies. It will also examine how to better leverage public and private lands, explore innovative and more efficient construction methods, and build strategic public and private partnerships to expedite housing initiatives. Regional Chairman Eric Jolliffe and all nine local mayors will sit on the Committee, which is scheduled to meet at least three times annually. Four meetings are already planned for 2025. 'As demand continues to outpace supply and more residents struggle to find and keep housing, addressing York Region's housing and homelessness challenges remains a priority for Council,' Jolliffe said in a recent press release. 'This Special Committee of Council will have the opportunity to explore and better understand the complexities and identify solutions to improve the current housing and homelessness crisis occurring across our municipalities.' The municipal planning landscape has evolved following the implementation of Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, which transferred land use planning authority from York Region to its lower-tier municipalities. This change makes the involvement of local mayors in Regional housing strategies even more critical. 'Local municipalities are integral partners in advancing the Region's housing and homelessness priorities,' a related Regional Staff report states. 'The Housing and Homelessness Committee can support coordination of local municipal efforts and strengthen collaboration on initiatives to address housing needs of residents.' Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt welcomed the creation of the new committee, calling it another important step in addressing the Region's housing challenges. 'The previous Housing Affordability Task force was helpful in understanding market conditions and pressures facing our communities,' Lovatt said in comments to Bullet Point News. 'I'm hopeful this new committee will take decisive action to make housing attainable for all.' The Committee will oversee implementation of the new Housing and Homelessness Plan once it is approved by Regional Council. A progress report is expected in December 2026.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
What's at stake? Oregon bills could impact Eugene, Lane County on housing, courts, taxes
State lawmakers are considering a slate of bills this session that could bring significant changes to Lane County. Among the key measures under debate are a bill to fund new Lane County Circuit Court facilities, legislation that would overhaul the state's approach to housing development and a proposal to strengthen mental health coverage enforcement. Lawmakers are also weighing changes to Oregon's transient lodging tax and a new grant program to support emergency shelters — each of which could have lasting effects on local communities. Below is a list of bills that touch on priorities the City of Eugene and Lane County identified for the session. Requestor: Gov. Tina Kotek. Sponsors: Reps. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, Mark Gamba, D-Milwaukie, and Tom Anderson, D-Salem. House Bill 3644 proposes a new statewide homeless shelter program. Under the proposal, the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department would adopt rules for the shelters and select "regional coordinators" around the state by May 1, 2026. Regional coordinators would administer state funding to shelter providers going forward. Each region of the program would be at least the size of one county and would form agreements with OHCS lasting five to six years, with the potential to be renewed. Coordinators would ensure that at least 70% of their shelter funds go to low-barrier shelters and write regional plans and assessments. OHCS would provide an annual report on the status and outcomes of the program, mediate disputes between shelter providers and regional coordinators and write rules for the program. In the 2025-27 biennium, the state would allocate $218 million to the program. The bill provides most, but not all, of the details the City of Eugene requested for a bill regarding shelters for the unhoused. It replaces the state's current one-time shelter funding allocations with an ongoing program, loosens the definition of "shelter" to include shelters currently labeled "alternative," such as Conestoga huts and car camping sites, and prioritizes shelters currently receiving state funding. It does not allocate money directly to cities as Eugene had requested. But the city still endorsed the bill because of the funding. "That's a historic amount for the state to allocate," said Ethan Nelson, Eugene's Intergovernmental Relations Manager. Status: Passed Housing and Homelessness Committee 10-2. Awaiting action from the Ways and Means Committee. Between the City of Eugene and Lane County, there are requests for four construction projects. One has already been picked up: money for Lane County Circuit Court facilities in House Bill 3369. Three more did not have bills as of late Wednesday: Clear Lake Road infrastructure. Lane Stabilization Center. 'Four Corners' re-entry housing. The city and county both described behavioral health as another priority. The city requested "increased state investment in behavioral health systems." The county requested "a dedicated source of funding for Mobile Crisis Intervention Team services," "behavioral health parity enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with federal health parity laws," and "appropriate funding for Behavioral Health Deflection services." Some of the bills introduced this session speak to these concerns: House Bill 2056 would direct the Oregon Health Authority to study "the cost of community mental health programs" and report to the legislature next year. House Bill 2505 would direct the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to study the Oregon Behavioral Health Deflection Program and report to the legislature next year. House Bill 3576 would direct the OCJC to develop a formula for future grant funds awarded to counties for behavioral health deflection programs. House Bill 3725 would make changes to insurance claims for health care providers and insurers, with the goal of ensuring parity between physical and mental health care. House Bill 5005 is the biennial budget bill for the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. The current draft allots $154 million for the department, up from $77 million in the current biennium. House Bill 5025 is the biennial budget bill for the Oregon Health Authority. The current draft allots $1.1 billion for behavioral health and $2.9 million for veterans' behavioral health, neither of which was a line item in the current budget. Senate Bill 782 would increase the minimum amount of grant funds a county could receive to fund behavioral health deflection. Two bills related to the safety of public officials are pending. Requestor: City of Eugene. Sponsors: Sens. Floyd Prozanski and James Manning Jr., D-Eugene; Sen. Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook; Rep. Lisa Fragala, D-Eugene. Senate Bill 473 proposes creating a new crime of "threatening a public official." Status: Public hearing held. Work session scheduled for April 2. Sponsors: Sens. Lisa Reynolds, D-Portland; Anthony Broadman, D-Bend; Floyd Prozanski and James Manning Jr., D-Eugene; Reps. Sarah McDonald, D-Corvallis; Dacia Grayber, D-Portland; Jason Kropf, D-Bend; Ricki Ruiz, D-Gresham. Senate Bill 698 proposes giving local governments the authority to bar Concealed Handgun License holders from bringing firearms into public buildings. Status: Public hearing and possible work session scheduled April 7. Violating the crimes outlined under either bill would be a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum of 364 days' imprisonment, $6,250 fine, or both for the first offense, with harsher penalties for later offenses. The provisions of SB 473 were priorities of both the city and the county. SB 698 was also a city priority. The county made a narrower request to prohibit firearms in healthcare settings. Three bills touch on Lane County's request for "a stable funding source for County Emergency Management and support creation of a statewide emergency management cost recovery mechanism for local governments." Sponsor: Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth. House Bill 2761 would direct the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to develop a new program to provide grants to counties to fund county disaster mitigation and recovery manager jobs. Status: No hearing yet. Sponsor: Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth. House Bill 3286 would direct ODEM to establish a liaison for each county, who would "foster development" of county-level emergency prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. Status: No hearing yet. Sponsors: Sens. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford and James Manning Jr., D-Eugene. Senate Bill 505 would direct ODEM to develop a grant program to fund county emergency preparedness coordinators in the seven counties on the Oregon coast. The bill would allocate $2.4 million for this purpose in the 2025-27 biennium. SB 505 would also create a temporary Committee on County Emergency Management, which would study and make recommendations on the capacity of Oregon counties to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and evaluate the potential for longer-term dedicated county emergency management funding. Status: Passed the Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs Committee 5-0. Awaiting action from the Ways and Means Committee. Sponsor: Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth. Eugene has requested the state improve its Ground Emergency Medical Transportation system, through which the state funds ambulance service. The Oregon Fire Chiefs Association has argued the system needs reform. House Bill 2653 directs the Oregon Health Authority to "study options to maximize federal funding" for GEMT and submit findings to the legislature next year. Status: No hearing yet. House Bill 2089 proposes a process for former owners of property deeded to a county for delinquent property taxes to claim the surplus value after the property has been sold by the county. Lane County, among other local governments, has requested more flexibility on transient lodging tax revenue. TLT is a tax on hotels and vacation rentals that local governments collect but must spend on promoting tourism. Four bills touch on the request for more flexibility: House Bill 3325 would allow taxing districts within counties with high ratios of tourists to residents to spend a percentage of TLT for "essential services that benefit both residents and tourists." House Bill 3556 would extend the allowed uses of TLT to "public safety services" and "community infrastructure." Senate Bill 453 would direct the Legislative Revenue Officer to study the permissible uses of TLT. Senate Bill 457 would direct the LRO to study the potential to include "public safety programs" as tourism under the tax. House Bill 3518 addresses the county's request for more funding for the assessor's office. Lane County's requests to "amend County Service District statutes to allow for non-contiguous boundaries" and to "amend municipal utilities statutes to enhance fiscal reporting to certain tax districts" were not picked up by the legislature. Lane County has asked the state to adjust the formula it uses to determine funding for county parole and probation. HB 5005, the biennial budget bill for the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, which includes Community Corrections, is proposed to grow in the new biennium to $154 million this cycle, from $77 million in the current one. House Bill 5004, the budget bill for the Department of Corrections, also funds Community Corrections to a lesser extent. The current draft proposes $370 million this cycle, up from $93 million in the current biennium. House Bill 3068 directs a study of community corrections. House Bill 2468 would allow district attorneys to require defendants to pay a fee to reimburse costs before providing discovery. House Bill 2062 proposes a product stewardship framework for batteries. Producers of batteries and battery-containing products would be required to join a "battery producer responsibility organization" that would collect and recycle batteries with oversight from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. House Bill 3175 would remove the cap on fees counties can charge to fund public land survey corners. House Bill 5541 is the biennial budget bill for the Oregon Department of Transportation. It includes $416 million for local governments statewide, down from $565 million in the 2023-25 biennium. The legislature didn't pick up Lane County's request for a funding source for maintaining off-system historic covered bridges. Lane County requested three election reforms, including: amending elections statutes so local measure standards align with state measure standards for mandatory language and fiscal impact, assigning the cost of elections administration to jurisdictions that adopt voting methodologies that deviate from statewide norms, and changing the election dates for recall races. Sponsor: Rep. Courtney Neron, D-Wilsonville Just the change to recall dates was picked up in the form of House Joint Resolution 9. HJR 9 proposes holding these races at the next regular election instead of within 35 days of the petition, as is currently the case. This would require an amendment to the Oregon constitution and so would need to be approved by voters in the November 2026 election. Status: No hearing yet. In addition to the issues Eugene and Lane County requested action on, the legislature has put forward several other bills with the potential to impact local government: House Bill 2038 would direct the State Department of Energy to study nuclear energy, including nuclear waste disposal, and share its findings with the legislature next year. House Bill 2064 would direct the state agencies to take certain actions to support the microgrids, including rules that support integrating buildings into microgrids and allowing local governments to adopt land use regulations that designate geographical areas as microgrid zones, subject to the approval of the Public Utility Commission. House Bill 2065 would allow people to contract with third-party consultants for an engineering evaluation when a public utility requires it to connect to a community renewable energy project or microgrid. House Bill 2066 would direct the PUC to allow the ownership, deployment and use of microgrids. House Bill 2138 is Kotek's middle housing bill. It would: Extend middle housing requirements to areas outside cities but within urban growth boundaries. Expand allowable spaces for Single Room Occupancies. Prohibit private restrictions (such as those of planned communities) that would limit middle housing, accessory dwelling units or housing density. Limit local governments' ability to reduce density requirements or allowances within urban growth boundaries. Make land divisions and land-use decisions. Allow for plats that consolidate a land division and a middle housing land division and require review within 120 days. Require the Land Conservation and Development Commission to adopt rules for the above goals by January 1, 2028. House Bill 2154 would create the County Safety Corridor Program, which would allow counties to designate permanent high-crash sections of their roads. House Bill 2258 would direct the Housing and Community Services Department to "study housing" and report to the legislature next year. House Bill 2333 would establish a task force to study Measures 5 and 50, the ballot initiatives that placed limits on Oregon's local property taxes, and report to the legislature next year. House Bill 2347 would direct the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development to provide housing production planning assistance to indigenous tribes and make other changes to laws on land use planning. House Bill 2533 would extend the deadline for public records requests when the government with the records claims attorney-client privilege. House Bill 2967 would ban residential landlords from charging an applicant screening fee. House Bill 2985 would modify PUC administrative proceedings. House Bill 3031 would create a Housing Infrastructure Fund to fund roads and pipes for new housing development. House Bill 3170 would modify the definitions of, and grant requirements for, Resilience Hubs and Resilience Networks and appropriate money for these grants. House Bill 3179 would give the PUC authority to limit public utility rate increases. House Bill 3243 would order ambulance service providers not to "balance bill" some patients and report their rates to the state. It would make rules about health insurance for ambulance services. and make a new database of ambulance rates and allow for penalties for violations. House Bill 3336 would declare a state policy regarding the electric transmission system that would include requiring power companies to file plans for using grid-enhancing technologies, when cost-effective, every two years, and execute the first of these plans before 2030. House Bill 3546 would direct the PUC to outline a class of "large energy use facilities" and require that the high energy use from these facilities be charged to them and not to nearby customers. 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It also requires electric companies to use a standard offer, open access tariff; allows electric companies to recover rates for costs associated with the program; directs the PUC to develop and adopt annual procurement targets and performance incentives; allows electric companies to earn performance incentives for meeting program targets; requires electric companies to file an annual report on the status of their distributed power plant program, including the capacity enrolled in the program; provides initial requirements and an implementing timeline; and requires an initial distributed power plant program compensate for system-wide peak load reduction from batteries. House Bill 3628 would establish the Oregon Electric Transmission Authority as an independent state agency. OETA would be responsible for funding, building, upgrading, owning and carrying out electric transmission projects. It would identify and establish electric transmission corridors with statewide significance, have the authority to finance transmission projects by issuing revenue bonds and collecting payments from the users of the authority's transmission facilities. The bill would also establish a Tribal Advisory Council on Electric Transmission, direct OETA to provide an annual report to the legislature, give OETA a $2 million annual budget paid for by "large industrial electricity customers," and sunset the authority at the start of 2032 with the potential for extension. House Bill 3634 would establish the Water Workforce Program in the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, with the charge to support workforce development initiatives within water. HECC would award grants and administrative funds to local workforce development boards. House Bill 3681 would require the Energy Facility Siting Council to conclude contested cases within 12 months from the date of its proposed order, and says that appeals from the council would go to the Oregon Supreme Court. It would allow the holder of a site certificate of an energy facility to file a notice for minor changes to the site boundaries and to file a request to extend construction deadlines by up to three years. House Bill 3700 would direct the Environmental Quality Commission to adopt standards for certifying sewage treatment works operators from other states and provinces, and theOregon Health Authority to do the same for water treatment plants and distribution systems. House Bill 3940 would increase funding for wildfire prevention and response from a combination of a beverage container surcharge, insurance retaliatory tax revenue, 0.5% of the state general fund and half the money in the Oregon Rainy Day Fund. It would make changes to the forest products harvest tax, minimum assessments and surcharges, fire protection zones in certain areas and the formation of rural fire protection districts. And it would require the legislature to make money available to the State Forestry Department and the Department of the State Fire Marshal to repay loans from the State Treasurer for wildfire suppression costs. Senate Bill 49 would direct the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department to "study housing" and to report on their findings next year. Senate Bill 88 would ban electric and gas companies from charging customers for costs from advertising, political influence activity, litigation, penalties, fines or certain compensation and direct the PUC to limit the amount that these companies may charge customers for costs and expenses from preparing for, attending, participating in or appealing a contested proceeding conducted before the PUC. And it would require electric and gas companies to submit an annual report that includes an itemized list of all costs and expenses incurred by the electric or gas company that are nonrecoverable from ratepayers. The bill imposes civil penalties for violations. Senate Bill 92 would expand eligibility for solar power projects to receive the Community Solar Program tax credit. Specifically, by removing the program's five megawatt floor and allowing the solar project and its customers to be in different parts of the would also establish, beginning in 2026, an initial cap on the total generating capacity of the community solar projects participating in the program at no less than 4.5 percent of an electric company's system peak in the calendar year 2016 and increase the cap by an additional 2 percent each year up to 14.5 percent beginning in 2031 and each subsequent year. And it would direct the PUC to adopt penalties that may be imposed on electric companies for unreasonably delaying the interconnection process for a community solar project. Senate Bill 179 would permanently establish recreational immunity and extend local government immunity to include claims arising from the use of non-horse equines. Senate Bill 215 and Senate Bill 216 are similar bills that would repeal the current requirements that there must be a licensed repository for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste before a site certificate for a nuclear power plant can be issued and that a proposed nuclear power plant first receive approval in an election. SB 215 refers the measure to a statewide vote, while SB 216 does not. Senate Bill 427 would prohibit certain proposed changes to the appropriation or use of water that will reduce streamflow. Senate Bill 688 would direct the PUC to adopt a framework for performance-based evaluation of electric utilities. This framework would roll out at the beginning of 2027 and include financial incentives and penalties, and PUC would report to the legislature in 2027 and 2028. Senate Bill 847 would increase the Retirement Health Insurance Account subsidy under the Public Employees Retirement System. Senate Bill 916 would say that striking workers are eligible to receive unemployment benefits. Senate Bill 974 would give cities and counties a 45-day deadline to decide on land use applications for single-family homes. Senate Bill 1177 would redirect a share of the "kicker" tax refund to a new Oregon Wildfire Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. Senate Bill 1537 would direct Oregon DLCD and the Department of Consumer and Business Services to establish and administer a Housing Accountability and Production Office, which would be operative on July 1, 2025. The office would "assist local governments and housing developers with housing laws" and be authorized to enforce housing laws. Senate Joint Resolution 11 proposes an Oregon Constitution amendment to require a percentage of lottery revenues be spent on wildfire prevention, suppression or management and refers the measure to the November 2026 election. Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached by email at atorres@ on X @alanfryetorres or on Reddit at u/AlfrytRG. This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: These Oregon bills could have lasting impacts on Eugene, Lane County
