The objective of the Regional Housing Council (RHC) is to provide all communities in the Central Oregon region – cities, counties, and tribes – the ability to work together on issues of mutual concern and create a Central Oregon voice on housing and homelessness issues. The RHC will have a wide range of representative seats aimed at achieving geographic and demographic diversity, and stakeholder and sector interest diversity. By offering a space for prioritizing coordinated solutions and inter-agency cooperation, the RHC will be positioned to make significant strides in regional information sharing and data development, strategic planning, program creation, policy development, and project implementation and monitoring. For greatest efficacy and synergy between local communities and state agencies, the RHC will expand on the existing Housing For All membership to include key regional decision-makers (i.e. elected officials and lead agency administrators).
Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) has completed extensive vetting of the RHC concept with local partners and leaders, including the cities of Madras, Bend, Redmond, and Sisters; Deschutes County; the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council Board (city councilors and county commissioners from all Central Oregon local governments); the regional housing authority (HousingWorks); the regional community action agency (NeighborImpact); the Homeless Leadership Coalition; and all Housing for All members including social services and private sector representatives.
2020-2024 Regional Health Improvement Plan Priority Area
Future State Measures
1) Create a way to accurately measure individuals experiencing homelessness
2) Decrease severe rent and mortgage burden
Increase regional leader participation on housing and homelessness issues.
Create a set of collaborative regional priorities on housing and homelessness issues to inform proposals, endorsements, and further actions.
Develop a means to deliver Central Oregon housing and homelessness priorities to state agencies and decision makers (e.g. the Housing Stability Council and LCDC).
Identify and collect contextual and additional data beyond that used in the state RHNA to establish regional housing and homelessness trends, obstacles, and opportunities.
A Year One Report for this project will be available in July 2022.
A Year Two Report for this project will be available in July 2023.
Please check back under "What We're Learning" to see the outcomes of this project after the Final Report is submitted in September 2024.