Priorities for the 2026 Legislative Session
These are 1000 Friends’ housing priorities for the 2026 short session. To learn more about other land use-related legislative priorities, see the 2026 legislative overview on 1000 Friends of Oregon's main website.
SB 1576: Accessible housing
SUPPORT
Watch our video on accessible housing here
What it does: This bill establishes important first steps to meet the needs of many Oregonians for accessible housing. It would:
- Require 10% of new housing built with state funds meet Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards
- Update state building codes to require at least 10% of units in new construction of 15+ units to be Type A accessible
- Define accessible housing to include not just the Fair Housing Act accessibility standards, but also the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards
Why it matters: Currently, only approximately 0.3% of Oregon’s housing stock is fully accessible for wheelchair users, while approximately 1 in 10 Oregonians has difficulty walking. That means there is just one accessible unit for every 66 people who have difficulty walking.
The state’s current building code requires accessibility features in only 2 percent of units in buildings with over 20 units. That means we are failing—by a significant margin—to meet the housing needs of Oregonians with disabilities. No city in Oregon has even close to a sufficient amount of housing to meet the needs of its current and future residents with disabilities.
While people of all ages and all sorts of families need accessible housing, we also are an aging population, meaning the need for accessible housing is projected to significantly increase. Many older people are on fixed incomes as well. We need to start building units that are both accessible and affordable now, not just for today but also for the future.
Status: Public hearing Thursday, February 5 at 3 pm in the Senate Committee on Housing and Development.
SB 1567: Revolving loan fund for mixed-income residential projects
SUPPORT
What it does: Provides a new and needed funding source for mixed-income housing developments—a tool new to Oregon but proven in other jurisdictions. The bill establishes a Mixed Income Development Loan Fund in the Housing and Community Services Department to spur public-private partnerships to develop housing that integrates affordable, work-force, and market-rate units. It provides long-term affordability for the affordable units. The fund would be self-sustaining, with the loans being paid and then reinvested into new projects.
Why it matters: In other states where this type of revolving loan fund for mixed-income projects is used, it has been successful both in building new projects and bringing private projects to the finish line with public dollars, in exchange for including affordable units. It provides a powerful new financial tool for building both market-rate housing and affordable housing.
Status: Public hearing held on Tuesday, February 3 (1000 Friends testified); work session to be held Thursday, February 5 at 3 pm by Senate Committee On Housing and Development.
HB 4082: One-time UGB expansion for senior housing or manufactured home parks
NEUTRAL
What it does: Allows qualifying cities to use the one-time UGB expansion provided for in SB 1537 (2024) for housing for seniors of moderate and lower incomes or for manufactured home parks.
Why it matters: While housing for senior Oregonians with moderate and lower incomes and manufactured home park housing opportunities are needed, we would rather see these protected and encouraged inside existing UGBs, and as part of the UGB expansion already allowed by SB 1537.
Status: Public hearing held on Tuesday, February 3 (1000 Friends testified); possible work session on Thursday, February 5 by House Committee On Housing and Homelessness.
SB 1564: Woodburn UGB expansion
OPPOSE
What it does: Supersites an expansion of the Woodburn urban growth boundary (UGB) onto 100+ acres of excellent farm land.
Why it matters: The bill would completely override land use laws to supersite a UGB expansion for one development interest. This is not an appropriate role for the legislature, which is not a local planning and zoning body. It avoids public participation in a decision that will impact the whole community, for one landowner. In addition, the land at issue is some of the best farm land there is, and is irreplaceable. The land use planning program requires cities to first build well inside UGBs to meet the needs of all; not going through that local process avoids that more land efficient analysis.
Status: A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, February 10 at 3:00 pm, in the Senate Committee on Housing and Development.
HB 4036: Affordable housing preservation
SUPPORT
What it does: Establishes the bond-financed Preserve Affordable Homes for Oregon Fund, directs the Housing and Community Services Department to use this fund for affordable housing preservation.
Why it matters: Over 10,000 existing affordable homes are at risk of being lost in the next five years — due to expiring affordability restrictions, the need for significant repairs and upgrades, foreclosure threat, the sale of currently-affordable manufactured housing parks, and more. This Fund will protect tenants from losing their homes, preserve the existing affordable homes our state has built, and lessen the likelihood of people becoming homeless.
Status: Public hearing held on Tuesday, February 3; possible work session on Thursday, February 5 by House Committee On Housing and Homelessness.
HB 4108: Annexation in UGBs
SUPPORT
What it does: Allows cities to annex non-contiguous, residentially-zoned land that is inside the urban growth boundary (UGB), at the property owner’s request, when that land is already served by city infrastructure.
Why it matters: This removes an outdated annexation barrier that limits housing production and redevelopment opportunities on land that already functions as part of the city. Currently, many residential parcels, already inside a UGB, are prevented from joining a city—even though they are already connected to city sewer, water, electricity, and streets, and well suited for housing development. As a result, housing opportunities are unnecessarily delayed or foreclosed until neighboring properties annex, which may never occur.
Status: Public hearing held on Tuesday, February 3 (1000 Friends testified); possible work session on Thursday, February 5 by House Committee On Housing and Homelessness.
HB 4035: Expands eligibility criteria so more cities may use one-time UGB expansion path provided in 2024
OPPOSE AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED*
What it does: Revises SB 1537 to allow more cities to skirt the regular UGB expansion laws and instead use the shortcut provided by SB 1537 (2024) by, among other things, allowing expansion on to farm and forest lands in certain circumstances. Also increases allowed size of UGB expansion.
Why it matters: Private land development interests spread falsehoods blaming urban growth boundaries for Oregon's housing needs, to make private land grabs. It is true that Oregon does not have the right amount and diversity of housing types, but a primary reason is that cities have zoned almost exclusively for larger lot, single detached homes for decades, which do not meet the size or cost needs of many, and creates sprawling expensive development patterns to serve. Allowing further urban sprawl onto farm or forest land and natural resource areas is actually the most expensive way to build housing: it requires a full, new set of roads, sewer systems, water pipes, emergency services, and more. It also paves over carbon-sequestering land, much of which is contributing to Oregon's second-largest industry: Agriculture.
Status: Public hearing on Thursday, February 5 at 3:00 pm, in the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness.
*We are continuing to work on changes to this bill.
Outcomes of the 2025 legislative session
Ensuring that all communities provide a variety of accessible housing options that are affordable for folks at all income levels is a cornerstone of Oregon’s land use Goal 10 and 1000 Friends of Oregon’s work. In the 2025 session, 1000 Friends supported housing legislation in four broad areas to help achieve the following:
- Production of infill housing and middle housing, such as duplexes and quadplexes.
- Infrastructure to support residential development in existing neighborhoods.
- Preservation of existing affordable housing.
- Promotion of innovative housing types and materials.
To promote bills in these areas, 1000 Friends partnered with four allied organizations: Thrive Hood River, Portland: Neighbors Welcome, Central Oregon Landwatch, and Eugene-based Better Housing Together.
Click here for a full overview of the bills that 1000 Friends supported in the 2025 Legislative session and the outcomes for each bill.
Learn more about the strategies cities can use to translate housing needs into more homes.
Ready to take action? Learn how to effectively advocate for policy change in your area.