How To Apply

Important Documents

The ORCA process includes the following steps:

Prequalification

OHCS prequalifies developers, co-developers, and development consultants to establish eligibility for receiving state investments. Prequalification is separate from the ORCA project application review. It looks at portfolio performance, developer experience and performance, and the legal standing of applicants and the development team. This is a necessary task when submitting an Impact Assessment Application and can be completed at any time before submission. Organizations update their prequalification form through a registry on an annual basis.

Prequalification registry

Intake

All projects must begin at the intake step. This helps OHCS provide early support to applicants, build a pipeline of affordable housing projects, and forecast funding requests. OHCS reviews intake submissions and moves them to the next step if the project is well-defined and aligns with guiding policies. Projects needing early support are connected with OHCS technical assistance resources.

To complete the intake step, applicants fill out a brief, web-based intake form. Have these details ready:

Project Basics: The vision, scope, and applicant information.

Site & Build Plan: The location, zoning, and construction type.
Units & Community: Planned unit mix, income levels, and who the project will serve.
Financial Plan: The total cost, all funding sources, and the OHCS request.
Team & Timeline: Key partners and estimated project dates.

Fill out the intake form

Preview the intake form questions

Impact Assessment

During the impact assessment, applicants provide:

Details on the design
Intended community and tenant impact of the property
High-level financial information
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals and agreement

Applicants should submit this information no more than one to two years before the anticipated financial closing/construction start date. Applicants will be asked to provide more detailed information on the project concept, submit an initial proforma, and identify project partners. OHCS staff reviews this information using the evaluation standards in the ORCA manual.

Once the standards have been met, projects are brought to Oregon Housing Stability Council (HSC) for conditional approval, as long as resources are available. Once HSC approves, projects receive a letter of intent (LOI) identifying the types and amounts of resources assigned. This letter serves as a conditional funding hold.

Financial Eligibility

The financial eligibility step requires applicants to submit:

Lender letters of intent
Well-developed construction cost estimates
Detailed preliminary proforma

OHCS will evaluate progress on the project design and policy priorities established in the impact assessment application. This is an iterative process. Applicants are expected to upload the required information and documentation for feedback or curing opportunities.

Projects have six months to complete this step.

Commitment

The commitment step requires applicants to submit final:

architectural plans
proforma
cost estimates
permit approval
secured investor commitments

This step awards the project a reservation letter, which provides a formal funding commitment to projects ready to reach financial closing within six months. the Post-Selection and Production page to gain a better understanding of the reservation letter conditions and next steps.

Projects have three months to complete the commitment step.