Beaverton Shares $9M In Housing Assistance Grants

BEAVERTON, OR — Beaverton and Hillsboro are among the cities benefitting from $9 million in federal grants for housing assistance, Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced Wednesday.

The housing assistance grants are reportedly meant to help low- and moderate-income residents find permanent housing after a period of homelessness and expand housing options for low-income families.

“I want to personally thank both of our U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, as well as the rest of our federal delegation for supporting Beaverton," Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle told Patch in an email. "We all understand the painful realities of the current housing crisis and these funds are essential to support our efforts to stimulate affordable housing, homelessness services, and housing rehabilitation for our most vulnerable residents."

Along with the cities of Beaverton and Hillsboro, Washington and Clackamas counties will also share the $9 million in grants.

“Thanks to Senators Wyden, Merkley, and the rest of our federal delegation who support these important programs," Clackamas County Housing and Community Development Manager Kevin Ho said in a statement. "These funds will enable us to provide housing rehabilitation assistance — and provide additional resources to low-income communities and neighborhoods — to a far larger number of low-income residents here in Clackamas County."

The total $8.9 million in grants will be distributed as follows:

• Washington County: $4 million
• Clackamas County: $3.47 million
• Beaverton: $754,252
• Hillsboro: $721,669

"Increasing housing prices have walloped Oregonians throughout our state, and that’s painfully true in the metropolitan Portland area," Wyden said in a statement. “This much-needed assistance will help Washington and Clackamas counties, Beaverton and Hillsboro provide Oregonians with one of the most basic human needs: a safe place to live."

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“Oregon, and especially the Portland Metro region, has been grappling with the biggest housing crisis in decades, with rents dramatically outpacing incomes and affordable housing increasingly difficult to find,” Merkley said. “Every family deserves a decent, safe, and affordable place to call home, and while much more needs to be done, these grants will support our most vulnerable neighbors."

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