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Grants & Tax Credits



The Development Resources and Production Section works in cooperation with local partners to provide viable financing packages in order to carry out the department’s mission to develop and preserve affordable housing, linked with appropriate services, throughout Oregon.

OHCS's grant and tax credit programs are listed below:

Grant Programs

The General Housing Account Program (GHAP) was created to expand Oregon’s housing supply for low and very low-income families and individuals. It serves in two areas:

  • Rental housing development
  • Rental housing for Veterans

GHAP can be used statewide, including on Tribal lands. GHAP is one of the most flexible housing development funding sources OHCS administers.

Learn more about GHAP and GHAP Veterrans development resource. ​​


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OHCS General Housing Account Program Capacity Building (GHAP-CB) program to support the important role our local and regional housing partners play in fostering community, health, and housing stability. GHAP represents the funding sources. CB represents the intent of the fund. 

Nonprofit housing developers, local housing authorities, and Tribal Nation housing entities are uniquely positioned within their communities to support placemaking and provide culturally specific and responsive housing and resident services. Local governments also play a key role in facilitating the development and long-term viability of affordable rental housing projects. The GHAP CB program was created to support capacity strengthening in these entities towards meeting our shared goals in affordable rental housing development and operations. 

Learn more about GHAP CB. ​


Through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) received an allocation of nearly $33 Million under the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) to increase housing stability for households experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.  This one-time allocation of HUD HOME ARP resources, which are different and separate from HUD's traditional HOME funds, includes a 15% administrative cap and must be completely disbursed by September 30, 2030. Learn more about HOME-ARP. ​


The HOME program provides federal funds from HUD to develop affordable housing. The OHCS Affordable Rental Housing Division administers the HOME program for the State of Oregon, allocating HOME resources to "balance of state" communities whose populations do not meet population requirements to have their own direct allocation of HOME funding from HUD. 

Currently, eligible activities under the State’s program align with priorities identified in the Oregon Statewide Housing Plan and include:

  • Acquisition, new construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing,

  • Tenant-based rental assistance through the OHCS HOME Tenant-based Assistance Program. 

Activities funded must benefit low- and very low-income households. Learn more about HOME. ​


The Housing Development Grant Program (HDGP) “Trust Fund” was created to expand Oregon’s housing supply for low- and very low-income families and individuals. HDGP is designed to provide grants to construct new housing, acquire and/or rehabilitate existing structures, or operate housing for low-income households living in multifamily rental housing.

Learn more about HDGP.​


Program Overview:

Legislative action in 2001 created funding for the new OR-MEP. Funds can be used to increase the efficiency of heating and other uses of energy in multifamily housing. Improvements may include installing energy efficient:

  • Insulation

  • Windows

  • Appliances

  • Light fixtures

  • Other energy-reducing activities

Applications are open to all income-eligible projects - NOFA and non-NOFA. Participation is easier than ever. Three participation pathways offer flexible options customized to each project’s needs.

OHCS encourages NOFA and bond funded projects to leverage OHCS weatherization funds. Projects can get a conditional reservation in advance of the NOFA application.

How to Apply?

The National Housing Trust Fund (HTF) is a formula grant program to be administered by states which is intended to increase and preserve the supply of decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing, primarily rental housing, for extremely low-income and very low-income households.


HUD has developed the proposed program rule for the Housing Trust Fund to mirror the HOME Program regulations in an effort to consolidate similar programs, improve the coordination of local and regional planning efforts and activity delivery, and reduce the administrative burden placed on grantees overall. Many of the HTF requirements are similar to HOME. ​ Learn more about HTF​



Tax Credit Programs

Program Overview:

The AWHTC Program offers a state income tax credit to investors who incur costs to develop agriculture workforce housing. Recipients may apply the tax credit to 50% of the eligible costs. The costs are actually paid or incurred to complete a farmworker housing project. The total amount of available credits for each biennium is $16.75 million. There is a set-aside for on-farm projects of $1.675 per year. One hundred percent of the credit may be transferred to a contributor of the project.​​

How to get funding?


 OHCS Policy and Partner Engagement

For more information, call Martin Jarvis​ at 971-388-6029​.

​

Program Overview:

The LIHTC program provides tax credits for developers to:

  • construct,​

  • rehabilitate, or

  • acquire and rehabilitate qualified low-income rental housing.

These development projects include multifamily and single-family rental housing units. Eligible applicants include both for-profit and nonprofit sponsors. OHCS issues these credits through a competitive Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) process. There is also a non-competitive application process available. 

The department reserves and allocates 9% and 4% tax credits on eligible properties. The department set aside a minimum of 10% of the credit authority for each calendar year. This applies to​ nonprofit sponsors. OHCS has another discretionary set-aside of 35% for preservation.​​​

How to get funding?


Program Overview:

The OAHTC Program provides a state income tax credit for affordable housing loans. It applies for loans for which a lender reduces the interest rate by up to 4%. 

Applications must show a 20-year term for which they will pass along the tax credit benefit to reduce tenants' rent. Exceptions to this are available to manufactured parks and preservation projects.​ Learn more about the Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit. 

How to get funding?

 Policy and Partner Engagement​

For more information, contact Martin Jarvis​ at martin.jarvis@hcs.oregon.gov​.​ ​



The Oaks, Photographer: Eric Bishoff
Development Resources and Production