We’ll see you at the Housing Oregon Conference on Sept. 15-16!
The Housing Oregon Conference has grown so popular that, this year, it is moving to a larger venue: the Oregon Convention Center. Our team is looking forward to connecting with colleagues from across the state to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and celebrate successes at this one-of-a-kind annual event.
Stop by our sponsor booth and say hello!
Here’s a quick guide to sessions that HDC staff are presenting and participating in. Scroll down for complete session descriptions.
Please note that session times and dates are subject to change. Find the latest updates at https://housingoregon.org/conference/.
Presented/co-Presented by HDC:
What’s Happening in Preservation: Optimism, Challenges, and Strategic Response
Mon., Sept. 15, 3:30-4:45 p.m., Room E145
Working Toward Stronger Culturally Specific Affordable Housing Organizations: Summary and Outcomes From the HECBS Program
Tue., Sept. 16, 9:00-10:15 a.m., Room E147-8
To Build or Not to Build: Site Due Diligence
Tue., Sept. 16, 2:00-3:15 p.m., Room F150
Featuring HDC Staff:
Navigating Affordable Housing Insurance: Trends, Costs, Management Challenges, Design and Construction Opportunities
Mon., Sept. 15, 9:00-10:15 a.m., Room E145
Mentorship and Internship - Developing New Leaders In Affordable Housing - What Really Works?
Mon., Sept. 15, 10:30-11:45 a.m., Room F150
Collaborating for Housing Stability: How Regional Long-Term Rental Assistance (RLRA) Supports Tenants, Landlords, and Communities
Mon., Sept. 15, 3:30-4:45 p.m., Room E147-8
Secrets Unlocked! RMP Level 1 - Demystifying Risk Mitigation Programs
Tue., Sept. 16, 10:30-11:45 a.m., Room E147-8
More Details
What’s Happening in Preservation: Optimism, Challenges, and Strategic Response
Oregon is on the brink of losing affordable homes faster than we build them. The operating environment has undergone a seismic shift. Affordable properties cannot adjust. Nonprofit owners are running out of tools to make the math work. The impacts that many warned of are now here. With relatively small new investments, we can keep thousands of at-risk homes in service for many decades, at far lower cost than building new—if we act now. Panelists will share resources currently available to protect Oregon’s affordable homes at financial risk of loss, who is eligible, and how to access them. We will focus on efforts currently underway to address preservation needs, including how potential affordable housing sales are being managed, regulatory changes proposed, and any potential new resources. Participants will be asked to share what else they see could be done to impact the issues that are impacting them the most.
Moderator:
Traci Manning, Executive Director, Housing Development Center
Panelists:
Kate Allen, ARH Technical Advisor Team Manager, Oregon Housing and Community Services
Danell Norby, Housing Investment and Portfolio Preservation Manager, Portland Housing Bureau
Kathy Swift, SVP and Non-Profit Development Officer, Heritage Bank NW
Sarah Williams, Director, Sponsor Support, Enterprise Community Investment
Working Toward stronger culturally specific affordable housing organizations: Summary and OutcomeS From The HECBS Program
This session will present a summary of findings and outcomes from the pilot cohort of the Housing Equity Capacity Building Strategy (HECBS) program. HECBS, which launched its second cohort in 2025, supports rural and culturally specific affordable housing owners to build asset management capacity, identify systems barriers to growth, and explore how to work through barriers. Representatives of Bienestar and Farmworker Housing Development Corp. (FHDC), both HECBS pilot participants, will discuss the innovative ways they are strengthening asset management and operations of their portfolios. The HECBS program is funded by Meyer Memorial Trust and Oregon Housing and Community Services; it is designed and led by Housing Development Center.
Moderator:
Liz Winchester, Senior Asset Management Project Manager, Housing Development Center
Panelists:
Maria Elena Guerra, Executive Director, FHDC
Nathan Teske, Executive Director, Bienestar
Christian Meneses-Zurita, Senior Asset Manager, FHDC
Kimberly Taylor, Director of Asset Management, Housing Development Center
To Build or not to build: Site due diligence
A housing provider has identified a site and a community they would like to serve. Have you ever wondered about the very first step in determining if a project is feasible or not? HDC construction managers and guests will share the things they look for in their site due diligence, along with cautionary tales and potential hazards they have found along the way. We will include information about jurisdictional requirements, OHCS criteria, utilities, topography, historical structures, survey/title and environmental concerns that might affect the success of a project. The presentation will include a panel discussion consisting of construction project managers along with third-party consultants who can provide additional insights regarding easements, title restrictions and environmental concerns.
Moderator:
Julie Proksch, Director of Real Estate Development, Housing Development Center
Panelists:
Trevor Cheyne, Vice President, Senior Escrow Officer, WFG National Title Insurance Company
Victoria Bennett, Principal Environmental Scientist, Evren Northwest
Debbie Page, Construction Project Manager, Housing Development Center
Lynn Lindgren, Senior Construction Project Manager, Housing Development Center
Navigating Affordable Housing Insurance: Trends, Costs, Management Challenges, Design and Construction Opportunities
This panel brings together industry leaders in affordable housing development, management, funding, design, and construction to discuss challenges and opportunities for developing and maintaining affordable housing in the face of escalating insurance costs. Attendees will gain valuable insight into the current landscape of rising insurance costs, understand the impact on housing development and maintenance, and explore innovative design and construction solutions that can help alleviate financial pressures. Join us to learn how thoughtful design can be a powerful tool to ensure the sustainability and affordability of your housing developments.
Moderator:
Matt Bokar, Pinnacle Architecture
Panelists:
Mary-Rain O'Meara, Senior Director of Community Development, Central City Concern
Liz Winchester, Senior Asset Management Project Manager, Housing Development Center
Bennett Barnwell, Senior Project Manager, Walsh Construction
Andy Oldenburg, Senior VP, Producer, Alliant Insurance Services
Mentorship and and Internship - Developing New Leaders In Affordable Housing - What Really Works
Developing talent for the nonprofit, affordable housing industry should be a top priority as we are often the training ground for the for-profit housing development sector. What strategies work to train and retain a diverse range of young professionals coming into the field AND keep them motivated to thrive? Join this roundtable for a discussion on the role of mentorship and internship as a tool to develop new leaders in the affordable housing industry. Panelists are Pacific Northwest Women in Affordable Housing Network members and a leader from CASA of Oregon – who has been participating in the California Coalition for Rural Housing’s Internship Program which has trained and supported over 200 interns from underserved backgrounds including rural, immigrant, low-income, farmworker, and tribal communities.
Moderator:
Linny Simkin, Managing Principal, Simkin Search LLC
Panelists:
Kathy Swift, President, Pacific NW Women in Affordable Housing Network
Kimberly Taylor, Director of Asset Management, Housing Development Center
JT McElrath, Cultural Livability Specialist, Sabin CDC
Peter Hainley, Executive Director, Casa of Oregon
Collaborating for Housing Stability: How Regional Long-Term Rental Assistance (RLRA) Supports Tenants, Landlords, and Communities
Regional Long-term Rental Assistance (RLRA) pairs flexible long-term rent assistance with supportive housing services in the Portland Tri-County area. RLRA has proven to be a critical tool to promote housing stability for households exiting homelessness. Over its four-year history, more than 3000 households have been connected to permanent housing. This panel will discuss the past, present, and future of the RLRA voucher and supporting programs. Topics will include the role of supportive housing services for tenant- and project-based voucher holders, implementation of Housing First programming, landlord engagement strategies, eviction prevention, and housing problem solving. The panel will include a range of perspectives from supportive housing services providers, landlord liaisons, and county housing authorities.
Presenters:
Jack Spaeth, RLRA Landlord Liaison, New Narrative
Maryam Alshaiji Hill, Associate Asset Management Project Manager, Housing Development Center
Prinice Straub, Supportive Rental Assistance Supervisor, Housing Authority of Washington County
Secrets Unlocked! RMP Level 1 - Demystifying Risk Mitigation Programs
Have you ever wondered what a Risk Mitigation Pool/Program is? Wondered, “Does my property qualify for reimbursement of additional costs accrued through extraordinary physical and operational damages?” This session aims to bring together the different Risk Mitigation Pool programs to offer an in-depth informative session regarding the available programs. Panelists will include program specialists from the Portland Housing Bureau (PHB), Housing Development Center (HDC), and Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS). These programs are designed to benefit both property owners and tenants by providing financial support during times of unexpected damages. This session will dive into the specifics of each program and how they can be accessed, the key differences, and offer a Q&A session. Additional resources will be provided after the session to assist and guide potential applicants through the process of applying for the right Risk Mitigation Pool program.
Moderator:
Erin Goldwater, Program Specialist Senior, Multnomah County - Homeless Services Department
Panelists:
Liz Winchester, Senior Asset Management Project Manager, Housing Development Center
Felicia Fournier, Program Analyst II, OHCS
Lindsay Brown, Housing Portfolio Finance Coordinator, Portland Housing Bureau