Habitat for Humanity Portland Region advocates at the local, state, and federal levels to protect and expand policies and resources for affordable homeownership and thriving communities.  

With an on-going housing crisis, and more recent public health and economic emergencies facing our region, we know safe and affordable homes are critical to keeping our community healthy. We strongly urge you to take action alongside us to ensure that more people living on low-incomes have access to the stability of homeownership. 

While we applaud the bold efforts being taken by policymakers to combat new and existing housing crises, we continue to advocate for public resources and policies to reflect the growing need facing our communities. Right now, 1 in 6 households in Oregon spend more than half of their income to put a roof over their heads—a cost burden that falls disproportionately on communities of color. That’s why we’re advocating for policies that help close the region’s stark racial gap in homeownership.

Compared to the region’s White homeownership rate of 64%, Black homeownership rates stand at just 33%. That is a 31% difference. For the Latinx community, the gap stands at 25%. In order to create equality between White residents and residents of color, 30,427 more people of color would need to become homeowners. With a challenge this wide-reaching, we’ll need to utilize every tool available to CLOSE THE GAP.

With a service area that includes three counties, five members of U.S. Congress, 20 cities, 40 State legislative districts, Metro regional government, and over a million constituents, we work across the region to deliver smart policy options for all who live here. As a non-partisan organization, we are committed to dedicating our efforts toward delivering the very best public policy outcomes for the families and individuals that depend on our services.

Get involved

It is essential that we continue to engage with leaders at all levels of government to ensure their decisions support people most impacted by historical racism, public health emergencies, economic declines, housing crises, and more. Your support will help protect access to affordable homeownership for people of color and those living on low incomes throughout our region.

Join the movement. Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter today to stay up-to-date on Habitat happenings or donate now to make an immediate impact in the lives of your neighbors

Advocacy stories

• 
  Staring Down the Homeownership GapMarch 3, 2023
  Just steps beyond Jackie Jones’ front window are the homes she always longed for. A place of her own, that she […]
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  Cully’s Revolutionary Urban Renewal Plan Cleared For Action November 17, 2022
  For more than a decade, the city has recognized the fragile diversity and affordability of Portland’s Cully Neighborhood. With a unanimous […]
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  Preservation, Not Displacement, The Focus of a New Kind of Urban Renewal November 4, 2022
  Portland City Council is poised to make a groundbreaking decision that could help one neighborhood fortify itself against the forces of […]
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  Advocacy Update: The Future (Need) of Housing in Portland June 28, 2022
  Written by Preston Korst, Director of Government Relations.  As the number of new homes on the market decreases and the cost […]
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  Advocacy Update: Big Wins for Affordable Housing this Legislative SessionJuly 30, 2021
  Written by Preston Korst, Advocacy & Government Relations Manager Habitat for Humanity Portland Region has had a busy couple months as federal stimulus dollars […]
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  Race and Housing IV: The Great Recession and the Racial Homeownership GapOctober 2, 2020
  Caught between high crime and low vacancy rates, many in North Portland’s Black community saw regional progress while suffering individual setbacks during waves of economic fluctuation.