FILE – Rapid Response Bio-Clean teams perform removals of homeless camps in Portland’s Old Town Chinatown, March 9, 2025. Through the House Bill 5011, the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department would see its two-year budget cut by a range from $1 billion to more than $2.6 billion starting July 1, 2025.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Oregon lawmakers have unveiled a budget bill that would continue to funnel vast sums of money toward homeless shelters statewide while slashing funds for preventing evictions.
Democrats advanced the bill through a legislative subcommittee on a 5-2 party-line vote Tuesday, sending it to leaders on the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, who write the state’s budget.
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Under Gov. Tina Kotek, Oregon has invested billions of dollars toward housing and homelessness in recent years, but the state continues to struggle with rising homelessness, evictions and a shortage of affordable housing.
Now, through House Bill 5011, the state’s Housing and Community Services Department would see its two-year budget reduced by roughly $1 billion to more than $2.6 billion starting July 1.
“The state has fewer resources than was anticipated when the Governor released her recommended budget in December, and she has appreciated that legislators have difficult decisions to make,” Roxy Mayer, Kotek’s press secretary, said in a statement Wednesday.
Funds to prevent eviction would see the biggest hit. The latest budget bill allocates $33.6 million toward programs like rental assistance or legal services that intend to keep Oregonians from becoming homeless in the first place.
That’s almost $100 million less than what was allocated in the current budget. For the upcoming biennium, Kotek had asked for $173.2 million to keep those programs running.
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The latest budget proposal has enough money to serve about 4,300 households facing eviction, compared to more than 27,700 in the budget lawmakers passed in 2023, according to the nonprofit Oregon Law Center.
Oregon’s housing crisis persists. Here’s what lawmakers are doing about it
The budget would also allocate $50.3 million toward helping Oregonians transition from homelessness to stable housing (Kotek had asked for $188.2 million), and $87.4 million for long-term rental assistance (Kotek’s request: $105.2 million). The governor is reviewing the budget, Mayer said.
“The Governor expects to be disappointed and hopes there will be additional investments in homelessness and housing in the end-of-session bill,” said Mayer.
The bill comes as the Legislature has $500 million less in revenue than formerly predicted for the state’s next budget, largely due to ongoing trade tensions and slow economic growth.
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With only a few weeks left in this year’s legislative session, lawmakers are weighing a variety of competing priorities, such as Kotek’s proposal to dedicate hundreds of millions of dollars toward Oregon’s education and behavioral health systems.
In a statement Tuesday night, Democrats described the bill as “an ambitious plan to expand affordable housing, reduce homelessness, and protect vulnerable families.”
“This budget should serve as a clear sign to all Oregonians that housing remains a statewide priority, even amid federal uncertainty and economic strain,” Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, the co-chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Economic Development, which advanced the budget.
“We’ve made real progress, but we know that we must continue building on the work we’ve done until we solve this crisis.”
But on Tuesday, some committee members voiced concern that the state has been too slow to dole out funds through its housing programs — including for wildfire survivors — and they say regulations have stymied housing production.
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“It feels like we should be seeing a lot more results for the dollars we’re investing, and I think there is ongoing frustration with Oregonians that we aren’t,” said Rep. Jami Cate, R-Lebanon, who voted against advancing the bill out of committee. “It seems that often the problem is growing.”
The bill comes as eviction filings last year surged to record highs — 27,290 cases total — and homelessness increased. Meanwhile, local governments issued fewer housing permits for the second consecutive year, falling to the lowest level in 12 years.
Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis, co-chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Economic Development, said Tuesday that he pressed the state housing department for progress updates in recent months.
“The answer we’ve consistently received is that there was a big program and it took them a while to stand it up and to begin to get things moving.
“So I’m looking forward to success,” he said. “I also want to note that the budget we’re approving today is a far cry from what was requested by the governor.”
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Oregon governor’s $217M homeless shelter bill faces uncertain future as budget woes mount
Housing and tenant advocates fear that backing off investments for eviction prevention could propel more people into homelessness, as many Oregonians face a shortage of housing and costs that have exceeded their wages.
“We understand that it’s a tough budget environment,” Sybil Hebb, the director of legislative advocacy for the Oregon Law Center, told OPB Wednesday. “But I think we were shocked and really devastated to see the proposed severity of the cuts.”
Hebb says that investing in eviction prevention is the best way to decrease costs on the social safety net by keeping people from being trapped in the cycle of homelessness.
“People are living very close to the bone these days, and housing is extremely expensive,” said Hebb.
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She added: “Any unexpected expense or unplanned illness can put people temporarily upside down. These are dollars and resources and services that help people through that immediate crisis to make sure that it doesn’t turn into a long term.”
Despite recent concerns that the state might step back its role in funding shelters, the budget would allocate nearly $205 million to support homeless and emergency shelters. Kotek had asked for more than $217 million.
“Shelter dollars in the bill will help our local partners keep their doors open and beds available,” Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, chair of the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness, said in a statement Wednesday.
“That’s essential, because our shelters are the entry point to the continuum of services that enable individuals to regain stability and find permanent housing.”
The budget would also dedicate $10 million toward housing programs for Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes.
The University of Oregon’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to approve a $1.55 billion operating budget for the next fiscal year.
But they asked university leadership to return with an amended proposal by Dec. 15, when more details about future budget cuts will be known.
FILE — The Board of Trustees recently approved next year’s budget for the University of Oregon. The vote comes several weeks after the school’s president announced that he wants the university to reduce its annual budget as revenues and out-of-state enrollment decline.
Brian Bull / KLCC
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The vote comes several weeks after University of Oregon President Karl Scholz announced that he wants the school to reduce its annual budget by around $65 million.
At a trustees meeting Monday, Scholz said the estimated budget shortfall for next year is just around $23 million. But he said out-of-state enrollment is below historical norms for the second year in a row, and it’s unlikely to bounce back.
“One year can be an aberration. Two years is a pattern,” said Scholz. “And I believe we have to treat it as a new reality.”
Scholz said in May that discussions about the budget would happen over a six-month period. He said no final decisions about cuts would be made over this summer.
On Monday, UO Senate President Dyana Mason told trustees that the Senate had approved a new process to allow for community feedback in the cost-cutting process.
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Mason said the provost will work with the deans on budget proposals, finding “clear rationale” for why programs are considered for elimination.
The provost would then bring those proposals to the Senate Committee for Academic Modifications—which includes staff, faculty and students—for feedback.
Once the plans are nearly finalized, the Senate could then hold a period for public comment.
Mason told trustees that a six-month timeline is better than the three months that frustrated some staff last year, but she recommended taking however much time is necessary.
“The worst situation would be rushing forward to make decisions without appropriate evidence, data, feedback from the people that are most in the know about the impact on our students,” said Mason.
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UO’s Board of Trustees Chair Steve Holwerda said that every week that university delays the decisions could cost them millions of dollars.
Nathan Wilk is a reporter with the KLCC newsroom.This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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Oregon’s juvenile justice system has been reshaped in recent years by a sweeping reform law that changed how the state handles minors accused of serious crimes.
Senate Bill 1008, which took effect in 2020, ended automatic transfers of juveniles into adult court and eliminated life without parole sentences for juveniles. The law also created “second-look” hearings and established parole eligibility after 15 years for certain offenders who committed crimes before turning 18.
To help explain the law and its impact, KVAL’s Frannie Pedersen put together a timeline video tracing the history of Senate Bill 1008, from the passage of Measure 11 in 1994 to the reforms that later reshaped Oregon’s juvenile justice system.
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The video breaks down how the law changed, why lawmakers pushed for reform, and how SB 1008 continues to influence Oregon’s justice system today. Viewers can watch the full video for a detailed timeline and explanation of the changes.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A New Jersey man was sentenced to federal prison last Friday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Mark T. Eager, 34, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“This defendant showed a blatant disregard for human life by trafficking fentanyl across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “My office will continue to pursue those who profit from poisoning our communities, and we will use every available resource and partnership to combat fentanyl trafficking and keep Oregonians safe.”
“This investigation brought together law enforcement agencies from across the nation,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents from Portland, Newark, and Houston contributed to the case, along with the Portland Police Bureau and HIDTA HIT officers, who were instrumental in identifying Eager. His 11-year sentence sends a clear message: no matter where you are in the country or the world, if you attempt to sell narcotics online to Americans, we will find you.”
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“Fentanyl trafficking poses a grave threat to communities across the United States, and Homeland Security Investigations is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks responsible,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. “This case demonstrates the power of interagency collaboration under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, leveraging resources from across the country to hold traffickers accountable and protect the American people. We will continue to pursue those who endanger lives through the distribution of dangerous synthetic opioids, and we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard our communities from the violence and instability caused by transnational criminal organizations.”
“By following this offender’s digital trail, Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners nationwide executed federal search warrants, dismantled an active dark web fentanyl packaging operation and recovered deadly amounts of fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, and a trove of electronic devices and packaging materials,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This case is a powerful example of how coordinated, data-driven investigations can disrupt dangerous networks and help protect our communities from lethal synthetic opioids.”
According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 2024, Eager and his co-conspirator sold fentanyl on the Dark Net and Telegram. Eager operated as the vendor WRSEH10 and marketed the fentanyl as “China White Synthetic Heroin.”
In June 2024, HSI agents executed search warrants on two residences associated with Eager in Kearny, New Jersey, and seized over 360 grams of powdered fentanyl, counterfeit M30 pills, drug ledgers, cellular phones, two computers, and drug packaging consistent with three deliveries that were sent to Oregon.
On September 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Eager with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
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On February 4, 2026, Eager pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
HSI Portland and HSI Houston investigated this case with assistance from HSI Newark, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT). Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey assisted the U.S. Attorney’s in Oregon in obtaining the search warrants that were executed in Kearny.
