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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT
FOR
THE STATE OF OREGON

A GUIDE TO OREGON’S
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF SAN FRANCISCO

FOREWORD
Anne McDonough-Hughes
December 2004
The Community Affairs Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco has
developed a new series of reports for the nine states in the Twelfth District that both
detail the demographic, economic, governmental, and institutional underpinnings of each
state and provide an analysis of the various community development needs within each
state. These reports, which we are calling “Environmental Assessments,” are meant to
provide a framework for the array of community development activities that the
department undertakes across the District. The hope is that the reports will not only
provide a helpful compilation of existing community development needs and resources
for each state, but will also allow us to target our time and resources to those areas that
both show the greatest need and offer the opportunity for the most meaningful role.
We hope that you will find these Environmental Assessments useful and that the
information presented will enhance your understanding of the state of community
development in each location.
We look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Joy Hoffmann
Vice President
Community Affairs Department

Jack Richards
Senior Community Affairs Manager
Community Affairs Department

TABLE OF CONTENTS

METHODOLOGY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
I.

DEMOGRAPHICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

II.

ECONOMY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

III.

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

IV.

NONPROFITS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 26

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AND RESOURCES
V.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

VI.

SMALL BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

VII.

POVERTY AND ASSET ACCUMULATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

VIII. NATIVE AMERICANS AND IMMIGRANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

METHODOLOGY
In an attempt to provide a framework for performing our own community development
work, the Community Affairs Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
has produced separate reports entitled “environmental assessments” for each of the nine
states which comprise the Federal Reserve’s Twelfth District: Alaska, Arizona,
California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Utah. Each report is
divided into two sections: one covering the overall “Community Development
Environment” in the state, and the other covering the “Community Development Needs
and Resources” in the state. These environmental assessments are intended to bring
together available research and information in both of these areas.
Specifically, the chapters in the “Community Development Environment” section cover
the demographic, economic, governmental, and institutional underpinnings in each state,
providing detail such as each state’s industrial structure, economic outlook, banking
system, nonprofit groups, and government departments involved in community
development. In the second section, each report delves into four separate areas of
“Community Development Needs and Resources:” affordable housing, small business,
poverty and asset accumulation, and issues specific to native people and immigrants.
A key resource for both the data and the approach taken in this effort was the 2002 State
Asset Development Report Card, published by an influential research and advocacy
organization, CFED (formerly known as the Corporation for Enterprise Development).
CFED’s report analyzes a great deal of data on a range of factors affecting asset
accumulation and poverty for each state in the nation. The CFED report divides its
analysis into separate evaluations of “Asset Outcomes” and “Asset Policies” for each
state, producing an overall grade (A, B, C, D, or F) for each. Not only do our reports
reference virtually all of the individual rankings which feed into CFED’s two overall
grades, but they also follow a somewhat similar approach in dividing each of the
community development areas in each state (affordable housing, small business, poverty
and asset accumulation, and native people and immigrant issues) between “needs” and
“resources” in a manner similar to CFED’s “Asset Outcomes” and “Asset Policies.”
The reports then build on these CFED comparisons by drawing on the considerable
resources already produced by a variety of national and local organizations in these
subject areas for each state, pulling together their major data, analyses, and conclusions
into one single report. The reports were designed by Scott Turner, who managed the
project, with additional oversight and editing by Jack Richards. This Oregon
Environmental Assessment was written by a second year student from the Goldman
School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, Anne McDonoughHughes. The Oregon Environmental Assessment was also supported by significant data
and material gathering by a member of the Community Affairs Department’s field staff,
Craig Nolte. Websites referenced in this report were accessed between September and
December of 2004, and we have attempted to provide accurate links to content
referenced, although content and/or location may change over time. We should note here

that while the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco sponsored these environmental
assessments, they reflect only the views of the author.
We gratefully acknowledge the community development practitioners in each state who
agreed to review drafts of these reports and provide helpful feedback. In addition, we
have attempted to ensure there are no errors or omissions in this report, but encourage
you to contact us if you believe important changes are warranted. Please contact us by the
end of February 2005, and we will be pleased to make appropriate revisions and post an
edited version of the reports on our website in March 2005.

CONCLUSIONS
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
1. Demographics
Oregon is the ninth largest state in the U.S. in total area 1 and the 27th largest in terms of
population, based on its 2003 population of approximately 3.6 million. 2 The state’s
population increased faster than that of the U.S. overall from 1990 to 2000, growing
by 20.4%, but its growth slowed to an average pace between 2000 and 2003, when
Oregon’s population increased only slightly more than that of the U.S. as a whole. 3 In
terms of race and ethnicity, Oregon has much lower proportions of Black/AfricanAmerican residents and residents of Hispanic/Latino origin than the U.S. overall, and a
much higher proportion of White residents. 4
2. Economy
Manufacturing plays a large role in Oregon’s economy, and within the manufacturing
sector, high technology manufacturing, food processing, primary metals and metal
fabrication, and forest-product manufacturing are key subsectors. 5 Oregon’s employment
rate was significantly affected by the recession of 2001-2002. During 2002 and 2003,
the state’s unemployment rate was among the worst in the nation, ranking 49th in
2002 and 50th at times during 2003. 6 Recently, however, Oregon’s economy has been
slowly improving, exhibiting the 7th highest job growth nationally during spring 2004, 7
although unemployment in the state still remains higher than the national average (7.2%
in October 2004 versus 5.5% for the U.S. as a whole). 8 Oregon’s economic growth has
been led by improvements in the manufacturing and construction industries, 9 and is
expected to continue to increase in line with that of the U.S. as a whole, albeit more
slowly. 10
3. Governmental and Financial Sectors
Oregon generally fares well on measures of fiscal soundness, receiving strong bond
ratings from credit rating agencies for its general obligation bonds. 11 After suffering
1

Netstate.com, The Geography of Oregon, http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/or_geography.htm.
U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2003,
http://www.census.gov/statab/www/ranks.html.
3
U.S. Census Bureau, Oregon QuickFacts, http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/.
4
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data, http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html.
5
Oregon Blue Book, Oregon’s Economy, http://bluebook.state.or.us/facts/economy/economy01.htm.
6
Oregon Business Plan, 2004 Competitive Index, table 45,
http://www.oregonbusinessplan.org/pdf/Competitive%20Index%20Online.pdf.
7
FDIC, Oregon State Profile, Fall 2004.
8
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Regional Economic Briefing, December 2004, p. 4.
9
Economy.com, Oregon State Profile, August 2004.
10
Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast, September 2004, p. 2.
11
California State Treasurer’s Office, Comparison of Other States’ General Obligation Bond Ratings,
December 2004.
2

during the recession of 2001-2002, the state’s financial picture looks to be improving.
From 2002 through mid-2003, Oregon was faced with seven straight quarters of lowerthan-expected tax revenues, but by year-end 2003, revenues appeared to have
stabilized. 12 In the financial sector there are 55 separately chartered banks and thrifts in
the state, though nearly half of the FDIC-insured deposits in Oregon are controlled by
three of them. 13 There are also 102 credit unions, which together control one third of
combined bank/credit union assets, more than five times the national average. 14
Oregon also has 11 certified Community Development Financial Institutions, 15 which
together had $162 million in financing outstanding to more than 18,000 customers in the
state at the end of FY 2002. 16
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AND RESOURCES
1. Affordable Housing
Oregon’s housing market has had difficulty keeping up with the state’s changing
economy and demographics. As of 2002, Oregon had the ninth-lowest homeownership
rate in the country, with only 66% of households owning their own home. This situation
does not seem likely to change in the near future, as median home values have
increased much faster than median income in the recent past. 17 Rental housing is not
much more affordable for lower-income individuals and families, as Oregon is ranked
48th on rental housing affordability, making it the third least affordable state for
renters. 18 Despite efforts by the state to address its housing affordability problem, such
as the adoption of a state housing trust fund, a variety of state tax credits, and a package
of programs targeted towards first-time homebuyers, 19 Oregon appears to have made
little progress toward solving its housing affordability challenges. 20
2. Small Business
Small business is important to Oregon’s economy, with businesses with fewer than 10
employees accounting for 13% of the state’s employment, among the highest shares
in the country. Oregon receives relatively positive reviews of its business climate and
small business resources, earning praise for its strong infrastructure resources,
quality of life, and resource efficiency, 21 and ranking 11th best on its transformation
from a traditional economy to an economy based on ideas and innovation. 22 State
government, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and private organizations provide a
12

Oregon State Treasury, 2003 Annual Report, p. 2.
FDIC, Deposit Market Share Report: Oregon, June 2004.
14
Oregon Credit Union League, Credit Union Fact Sheet, http://www.cuna.org/download/oregon_fs.pdf.
15
CDFI Fund, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Certified CDFI’s – Alphabetical by State and County,
November 2004.
16
CDFI Coalition, CDFIs in Oregon: 2004 Fact Sheet, http://www.cdfi.org/states/Oregon2004.pdf.
17
Oregon Housing and Community Services, Setting the Standard: 2003-2005 Strategic Plan, p. 12.
18
U.S. Census Bureau, 2003 American Community Survey Data, http://www.census.gov/acs/www/.
19
CFED, State Asset Development Report Card (SADRC), 2002, p. 68.
20
Oregon Progress Board, 2003 Benchmark Performance Report, p. 51.
21
CFED, 2004 Development Report Card for the States, http://drc.cfed.org/grades/oregon.html.
22
Robert Atkinson, Progressive Policy Institute, The 2002 State New Economy Index, June 2002, tables.
13

variety of educational and financial resources to Oregon’s small businesses, but recent
reports suggest that entrepreneurs in the state are concerned with the lack of small
business financing available and would like to see more services tailored to their needs. 23
3. Poverty and Asset Accumulation
Overall, Oregon ranks relatively well on measures of poverty and asset accumulation.
The state’s poverty rate is slightly lower than the nation’s, and is the 21st highest of
all the states. 24 Oregon also has the seventh-highest mean net worth nationally, and
the 12th-lowest percentage of households with zero or negative net worth. 25 However,
poverty rates in Oregon declined less than the U.S. average decline between 1990 and
1999, and vary widely between counties. 26 Oregon is credited with a number of
supportive asset accumulation and preservation policies, particularly its efforts to
increase homeownership and to ensure that more state residents have access to health
insurance. 27
4. Native Americans and Immigrants
Oregon has the 11th highest proportion in the nation of Native American residents
in its population. Despite active participation in the gaming industry by all nine of
Oregon’s federally-recognized tribes, 28 Oregon’s Native Americans continue to face
higher-than-average poverty rates. Oregon’s state government is attempting to address
tribal concerns by requiring each Cabinet-level department to enter into a contract that
formally recognizes the interests of Native Americans and provides processes for
ensuring tribal concerns are addressed. 29
Approximately 9% of Oregon’s population is foreign born, the 16th-highest proportion
among the states. The largest group of foreign-born in Oregon hails from Latin America,
although sizable proportions also come from Asia and Europe. Twenty percent of
Oregon’s immigrants live below the poverty level, nearly double the overall poverty rate
for the state. 30 Oregon does provide more generous TANF benefits to legal
immigrants than many states, but additional resources are required to meet the
needs of this population. 31

The Governor’s Small Business Council of Oregon, Small Business and the Oregon Economy: The
Biennial Report of the Governor’s Small Business Council of Oregon, October 2002; and Oregon
Economic & Community Development Department, Small Business Program Survey & Assessment II,
February 2004. pp. 61-63.
24
U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2003, pp.
23, 68.
25
CFED, SADRC, p. 68.
26
Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services, Report on Poverty 2004, pp. 31, 52-53.
27
CFED, SADRC, p. 68.
28
Oregon Blue Book, Indian Tribes in Oregon, http://bluebook.state.or.us/national/tribal/tribal.htm.
29
Ibid.
30
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
31
Oregon Center for Public Policy, Improving the TANF Program for Legal Immigrants, February 2002.

STATE OF OREGON
SELECTED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS

Affordable Housing
Homeownership Rate 32
Rental Affordability Rate 33
Severely Cost-Burdened Renter Households 34

Rate
66.2%
-26.3%

State Rank
42nd
48th
49th

Small Business
Small Business Employment Rate 35
Entrepreneurship Rate 36
Level of Private Loans to Small Businesses 37

13.1%
16.2%
--

11th
7th
27th

Poverty and Asset Accumulation
Poverty Rate 38
Households with Zero Net Worth 39
Personal Bankruptcy Rate 40

11.7%
13.0%
16.9

30th
12th
38th

Native Americans and Immigrants
Native American Population 41
Native American Poverty Rate 42
Foreign-Born Population 43
Foreign-Born Poverty Rate 44

1.3%
22.2%
8.5%
19.9%

11th
-16th
--

U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Statistical Abstract 2003; represents the percentage of housing units that are
occupied by owners, ranked from highest percentage (1st)
33
NLIHC; rank is calculated based on a weighted average of the state’s median gross rent, renter market
affordability ratio, and percent of severely cost-burdened renters, ranked from most affordable (1st)
34
NLIHC; Up Against a Wall, November 2004; represents the percentage of renter households in the state
spending more than 50% of their income on rent in 2003, ranked from lowest percentage (1st)
35
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2001; represents the share of total state employment
attributable to firms with fewer than 10 employees, ranked from highest share (1st)
36
CFED, SADRC; represents the percentage of the labor force that owns employer and non-employer firms
as of 2000, ranked from highest percentage (1st)
37
Ibid; represents the amount of private business loans under $1 million per worker, ranked from highest
amount (1st)
38
U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2003;
represents the average percent of people living below the federal poverty level during the period from 2001
to 2003, ranked from lowest percentage (1st)
39
CFED, SADRC; represents the percentage of households with zero or negative net worth, ranked from
lowest percentage (1st)
40
American Bankruptcy Institute; represents personal bankruptcy filings in 2003 per thousand households
in the state, ranked from fewest filings (1st)
41
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000; represents the percentage of the state’s population composed of
Native Americans and Alaska Natives (only), ranked from highest percentage (1st)
42
Ibid; represents the percentage of Native American/Alaska Native (only) individuals living below the
federal poverty level at any time in 1999
43
Ibid; represents the percentage of the state’s population composed of foreign-born individuals, ranked
from highest percentage (1st)
44
Ibid; represents the percentage of foreign-born individuals living below the federal poverty level at any
time in 1999

DEMOGRAPHICS

Geography

Oregon has a land area of 95,997 square miles, 45 and is the ninth largest state in the
U.S. in total area. It shares borders with Washington, Nevada, Idaho, California, and the
Pacific Ocean. Oregon's geography can be divided into six areas; 1) the Coast Range; 2)
the Willamette Lowlands; 3) the Cascade Mountains; 4) the Klamath Mountains; 5) the
Columbia Plateau; and 6) the Basin and Range Region. These areas encompass a wide
variety of terrain, ranging from coastal regions to forests to mountains to semi-desert
areas. Notably, Oregon’s forests contain one tenth of the lumber in the U.S., allowing the
state to produce more lumber than any other state. Oregon also is home to the deepest
lake in the U.S., Crater Lake. 46

Source: Infoplease.com

Population

As of July 2003, Oregon’s population was estimated to be nearly 3.6 million, ranking
the state 27th-largest in the U.S. on population size. Oregon is most similar in population

45
46

U.S. Census Bureau, Oregon QuickFacts, http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/.
Netstate.com, The Geography of Oregon, http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/or_geography.htm

size to Oklahoma and Kentucky. 47 Between 2000 and 2003, Oregon’s population
increased by 4.0%, only slightly higher than the rate of the U.S. as a whole (3.3%).
This population growth was not evenly distributed among the state’s MSAs—Bend, the
state’s newest MSA, grew at 13%, the Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton MSA grew by
4.7%, the Medford MSA grew by 4.3%, and the Salem MSA grew by 3.7%, while the
state’s other two MSAs, Eugene-Springfield and Corvallis, had below-average growth
rates of 2% and 3%, respectively. 48
Oregon’s growth between 2000 and 2003 came on top of a 20.4% increase between
1990 and 2000, a time period when Oregon’s population was increasing faster than that
of the U.S. as a whole (which increased by only 13.1%). 49 As the table below suggests,
population growth during this time period was also not evenly distributed in the state.
Growth was led by Deschutes County (54% increase) and Crook County (36% increase),
although all counties experienced positive growth. 50
Oregon 1990 and 2000 Population by County
County
Oregon
Baker
Benton
Clackamas
Clatsop
Columbia
Coos
Crook
Curry
Deschutes
Douglas
Gilliam
Grant
Harney
Hood River
Jackson
Jefferson
Josephine
Klamath
Lake
Lane
Lincoln
Linn
Malheur
Marion

1990 Population
2,842,321
15,317
70,811
278,850
33,301
37,557
60,273
14,111
19,327
74,958
94,649
1,717
7,853
7,060
16,903
146,389
13,676
62,649
57,702
7,186
282,912
38,889
91,227
26,038
228,483

2000 Population
3,421,399
16,741
78,153
338,391
35,630
43,560
62,779
19,182
21,137
115,367
100,399
1,915
7,935
7,609
20,411
181,269
19,009
75,726
63,775
7,422
322,959
44,479
103,069
31,615
284,834

% Change
20%
9%
10%
21%
7%
16%
4%
36%
9%
54%
6%
12%
1%
8%
21%
24%
39%
21%
11%
3%
14%
14%
13%
21%
25%

U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2003,
http://www.census.gov/statab/www/ranks.html.
48
Portland State University Population Research Center, 2003 Oregon Population Report,
http://www.upa.pdx.edu/CPRC/publications/annualorpopulation/Population%20Report%2003.pdf.
49
U.S. Census Bureau, Oregon QuickFacts.
50
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data, http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html.

Morrow
7,625
Multnomah
583,887
Polk
49,541
Sherman
1,918
Tillamook
21,570
Umatilla
59,249
Union
23,598
Wallowa
6,911
Wasco
21,683
Washington
311,554
Wheeler
1,396
Yamhill
65,551
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 and 1990 Data

10,995
660,486
62,380
1,934
24,262
70,548
24,530
7,226
23,791
445,342
1,547
84,992

44%
13%
26%
1%
12%
19%
4%
5%
10%
43%
11%
30%

The population of Oregon is slightly older than that of the U.S. as a whole, with a median
age of 36.3, compared to 35.3 for the U.S. Children under 18 years of age account for
24.7% of Oregon’s population, as compared to 25.7% of the U.S. overall. However, the
proportion of Oregon’s population that is 65 and over (12.8%) is only slightly higher that
that of the U.S. as a whole (12.4%). 51
3.

Metropolitan Statistical Areas

Based on the federal guidelines published by the White House Office of Management and
Budget (OMB), Oregon has six metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). By definition,
MSAs are areas that are made up of one or more whole counties and have at least one
urbanized area of 50,000 or more population. Oregon has one MSA that is shared with
another state, the Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton MSA, which includes portions of both
Oregon and Washington. 52 The table below lists the state’s current MSAs and their
2003 populations.
Oregon’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas
MSA
Counties Included
2003 Population
Portland-VancouverClackamas, Columbia, Multnomah,
1,649,000
(Oregon only)
Beaverton (OR-WA)
Washington, Yamhill
Salem
Marion & Polk
363,000
Eugene-Springfield
Lane
331,000
Medford
Jackson
190,000
Bend
Deschutes
129,000
Corvallis
Benton
79,000
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2004-2005.

U.S. Census Bureau, Oregon QuickFacts.
U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2004-2005,
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-04.html.
52

Race and Ethnicity

When it comes to the racial and ethic composition of its population, Oregon varies
substantially from the U.S. as a whole. The percentage of Oregon’s population that
identifies as White is 86.6%, more than 10 percentage points higher than the
percentage nationwide (75.1%). Oregon also has much lower proportions of
Black/African American residents and residents of Hispanic/Latino origins than the
U.S., as shown in the table below. Nine percent of Oregon residents are foreign born,
compared to 11% of U.S. residents, and only 12.1% speak a language other than English
at home, compared to 17.9% in the U.S. as a whole. 53
Oregon Population by Race
Number in
Oregon
Population
White (only)
2,961,623
Black/African American (only)
55,662
Asian (only)
101,350
American Indian/Native Alaskan (only)
45,211
Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander (only)
7,976
Some other race (only)
144,832
Two or more races
104,745
Persons of Hispanic or Latino Origin*
275,314
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
*Persons of Hispanic or Latino Origin may be of any race
Race

% of Oregon
Population

% of U.S.
Population

86.6%
1.6%
3.0%
1.3%
0.2%
4.2%
3.1%
8.0%

75.1%
12.3%
3.6%
0.9%
0.1%
5.5%
2.4%
12.5%

Educational Attainment

Educational attainment for adults in Oregon is mixed in relation to the U.S. as a whole;
87.7% of state residents aged 25 and over have completed high school and 26.4% have a
bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 83.6% and 26.5%, respectively, for the U.S. as
a whole. Oregon ranks 18th in the country in the percentage of adults who have
completed high school and 19th in the percentage of adults with a bachelor’s degree
or higher (with 1st being the highest). 54

53
54

U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2003 American Community Survey Data, http://www.census.gov/acs/www/.

II.

ECONOMY

ECONOMIC STRUCTURE

Gross state product (GSP) is one of the most-frequently used comprehensive measures of
an economy. It is defined as the value added in production by the labor and property
located in a state, and is derived as the sum of the GSP originating in all industries in the
state. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reports GSP estimates approximately 18
months after the end of each year. Oregon’s GSP for 2003, the most recent data
available, was $120.3 billion, ranking the state 28th highest in the nation. The state’s
per capita GSP for the same year was $33,793, less than the U.S. average of $36,376,
ranking the state only 33rd highest in the U.S. on that measure. 55 The chart below shows
the breakdown of Oregon’s 2001 GSP by sector.
Oregon Gross State P roduct in 2001
Agri, Forest, Fish

Mining & Oil and

and Trap

Gas

Government

Construc tion

12%

S ervic es

Manufac turing

18%

26%

Transportation,
Comm & Utilities

Financ e and Real
Estate

Retail trade

15%

6%
Wholesale trade
7%

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

Leading sectors in Oregon’s economy include timber and wood products, high
technology manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, primary metals and metal
fabrication, and tourism and recreation, each of which is explained in more detail in the
following pages.

Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2003 and 2001 Gross State Product,
http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/regional/data.htm.

Major Industries

Timber and Wood Products

Oregon ranks first in the U.S. in the production of forest products, and its primary
and secondary wood-processing industries account for an annual $10 billion in sales.
Sales of forest products also generate 75,000 direct jobs, with additional indirect jobs
created by businesses supplying forest product companies and by businesses that cater to
forest-products workers and their families. 56 Forest product manufacturing accounts for
21% of all manufacturing employment in Oregon, and in 12 of Oregon’s 36 counties, it
accounts for more than half of manufacturing employment. 57
Oregon’s timber harvest has declined substantially over the past several decades,
from nine billion board feet of timber harvested from Oregon in 1971 to only 3.4 billion
board feet harvested in 2001. Because federal lands account for more than half of all
forest area in Oregon, much of the decline has resulted from federal regulations that led
to a decrease in timber harvesting from federal lands. However, despite the dramatic
decline in Oregon’s timber harvest, Oregon’s wood-processing industries have not
declined quite as much, having been helped by changes that partially offset the decline
in the timber harvest, including the growth in secondary wood products manufacturing,
declines in log exports, imports of logs from other states and Canada, and the use of
smaller timber that requires more labor to harvest and process. At the same time,
employment in forest-related industries has also been helped by the growth in
recreational usage of Oregon’s forestland and in the state’s non-timber forest products
industries. 58
b.

High-Technology Manufacturing

As of 2001, high-technology manufacturing employed nearly one third of Oregon’s
manufacturing workforce. Nearly four fifths of these employees were located in the
Portland area, but several other areas of the state, including parts of southern Oregon,
Bend, and the Interstate 5 corridor from Portland to Corvallis and Eugene are also home
to high-tech manufacturing enterprises. This sector is a significant provider of wellpaying jobs within the manufacturing sector, as the average annual wages per worker
in 2001 were $69,300, compared to $44,060 for all manufacturing industries. Although
companies involved in many specialties in the high-tech industry are located in Oregon,
the state’s most recent high-tech expansions have been concentrated within the
semiconductor industry. 59

Oregon Blue Book, Forestry, http://bluebook.state.or.us/facts/economy/economy06.htm.
Oregon Blue Book, Manufacturing, http://bluebook.state.or.us/facts/economy/economy09.htm
58
Oregon Blue Book, Forestry.
59
Oregon Blue Book, Manufacturing, http://bluebook.state.or.us/facts/economy/economy09.htm.
57

Agriculture and Food Processing

Agriculture has traditionally been one of Oregon’s strongest industries, and it remains
important in the state’s economy today. Between agricultural inputs, food processing,
transportation, marketing, warehousing and storage, and related services, almost 10% of
Oregon’s economy, and one in 12 jobs in the state, is related to agriculture. Nearly
80% of Oregon’s crops are sold out of state, and half of that amount is sold overseas.
Oregon is the nation’s leading source for several crops, including Christmas trees, grass
seed, hazelnuts, peppermint, and several types of berries, and is also a significant
producer of many other crops. Overall, the state’s farmers grow more than 200 types of
commodities. 60
Food processing is also an important manufacturing sector in the state. Food
processors within the state currently produce a wide variety of products but have been
moving towards specialty and niche markets in order to maintain their profit margins. 61
Multnomah and Marion Counties have the heaviest concentration of food-processing jobs
in the state—food processing in these areas alone provides more than 9,000 jobs and
$270 million in payroll. 62
Agriculture in Oregon has undergone several changes in recent years that have affected
the lives and livelihoods of those involved in the sector, including the consolidation of
businesses in the wholesale and retail food sector that have traditionally purchased
Oregon’s agricultural products, the increasing competition for water needed for irrigation,
and the loss of agriculture land for urban uses. The state’s Department of Agriculture and
other state agencies are actively involved in attempting to resolve these issues to maintain
the vibrancy of Oregon’s agricultural sector into the future. 63
d.

Primary Metals and Metal Fabrication

Oregon’s metals industry plays a disproportionately large role in the state’s
manufacturing sector as compared to its role in neighboring states. The main reason for
the large presence of metal companies is Oregon’s development of a low-cost
hydroelectric-based power system, which is crucial for metals companies that require
large amounts of electric power during the manufacturing process. The two subsectors of
the metals industry that figure heavily in Oregon’s economy are primary metals, which
includes aluminum smelters, steel mills, and companies that make metal casts and
extrusions, and fabricated metals, which include companies that make tools, hardware,
and other metal items, and companies that apply metal coatings to these items. 64

Oregon Blue Book, Agriculture, http://bluebook.state.or.us/facts/economy/economy03.htm.
Oregon Blue Book, Manufacturing.
62
Oregon Blue Book, Agriculture.
63
Ibid.
64
Oregon Blue Book, Manufacturing.
61

Tourism and Recreation

Oregon’s natural environment and increasing number of manmade tourist attractions have
made tourism one of the state’s top five industries, bringing in $6.1 billion annually
to the state. Tourism spending in the state has increased an average of 5.7% per year
since 1991 in current dollars and has been particularly important to rural economies that
have been hurt by restrictions on timber harvesting and a weakening agricultural market.
Rural areas have taken advantage of the increasing tourism market to promote agritourism and nature-based tourism businesses. In 2001, the direct and secondary impacts
of tourism generated 135,200 jobs with earnings of $2.1 billion. These jobs were an
important source of employment for entry-level workers and for women and minorities
entering the job market. Many of Oregon’s visitors come from relatively close by, which
helped the state maintain its share of tourist dollars in the post-September 11th air travel
slowdown. The state estimates that nearly half of its overnight visitors travel from within
a 300 mile range, and another 36% travel from between 300 and 1,000 miles away. 65
2.

Labor Force and Employment

As of 2000, Oregon had more than 1.7 million workers in its labor force, equating to
65.2% of the population aged 16 and over. Men outnumber women in Oregon’s labor
force, accounting for 54% of workers. 66 In 2003, median household income in the state
was estimated to be approximately $40,319, and per capita income was $21,986, both
somewhat below the national average. 67
Employment patterns by industry in Oregon track very closely with those of the United
States. No single industry dominates employment in Oregon. As of 2003, the
industry with the largest percent of total employment was government (17.2%), followed
by manufacturing (12.5%), education and health services (12.0%), retail trade (11.8%),
and professional and business services (10.9%). Oregon’s largest employers include the
Kroger Company, Providence Health Systems, Intel Corporation, Oregon Health
Sciences University, and Oregon State University. 68 The table on the next page provides
comparative employment data for Oregon and the U.S.

Oregon Blue Book, Tourism/Recreation, http://bluebook.state.or.us/facts/economy/economy10.htm.
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
67
U.S. Census Bureau, 2003 American Community Survey Data.
68
Economy.com, Oregon State Profile, August 2004.
66

Industry Employment (% of total employment, 2003)
Sector
% of OR Employment
Construction
4.9%
Manufacturing
12.5%
Transport/Utilities
3.6%
Wholesale Trade
4.8%
Retail Trade
11.8%
Information
2.2%
Financial Activities
6.3%
Professional & Business Services
10.9%
Education & Health Services
12.0%
Leisure & Hospitality Services
9.7%
Other Services
3.6%
Government
17.2%
Source: Economy.com, Oregon State Profile, August 2004.

% of U.S. Employment
5.2%
11.2%
3.7%
4.3%
11.5%
2.5%
6.1%
12.3%
12.8%
9.3%
4.2%
16.6%

Economic Diversity

Oregon’s economic success has traditionally been tied to its natural resources, and
particularly to its timber-producing forests. For much of the 20th Century, the state’s
manufacturing industry and jobs were heavily concentrated in the forest products
industry. However, a decline in the demand for lumber and plywood for home
construction in the 1980s and the federal restrictions that were placed on timber
harvests from national forests in the 1990s forced the state to begin to diversify its
economy. Efforts by the state within the last decade to do so have allowed it to achieve
an industry mix that is closer to the national average, and its manufacturing jobs are now
spread over a variety of sectors, including high tech, agricultural goods and processed
foods, forest products, metals, and transportation equipment. 69 However, measures of
industrial diversity suggest that the state can still improve in this area. CFED ranked
Oregon 17th worst in industrial diversity in its 2004 Development Report Card for the
States, 70 and Economy.com gives the state a score of .68 on its industrial diversity index,
where a 0 is the least diverse and a 1.0 is the most diverse (reflecting the U.S. as a
whole). 71 Additionally, rural areas continue to depend disproportionately on natural
resources for economic success, which magnified the effect of the recent economic
downturn in non-urban areas of the state. 72
4.

Trade

In 2003, Oregon exported $10.3 billion worth of goods outside of the U.S.,
accounting for 1.43% of U.S. total exports. Oregon’s top export was digital monolithic
integrated circuits (accounting for 29.2% of the state’s exports), followed in importance
by wheat and meslin (9.1%) and road tractors for semi-trailers (3.7%). 73 The top country
69

Oregon Blue Book, Oregon’s Economy, http://bluebook.state.or.us/facts/economy/economy01.htm.
CFED, 2004 Development Report Card for the States, http://drc.cfed.or/grades/oregon.html.
71
Economy.com, Oregon State Profile, August 2004.
72
Oregon Blue Book, Oregon’s Economy.
73
U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, Total U.S. Exports (Origin of Movement) via Oregon
Top 25 Commodities Based on 2003 Dollar Value, http://www.census.gov/foreigntrade/statistics/state/hs/2003/or.pdf.
70

Oregon exported to was Canada, which accounted for 15.1% of the state’s exports.
Rounding out the top five export countries for Oregon were South Korea (13.2%), Japan
(12.3%), the Philippines (7.4%), and Taiwan (5.8%). Since 2001, South Korea’s share of
exports has grown from 9.3% to 13.2%, while Japan’s share has dropped from 17.8% to
12.3%. 74
Exports in Oregon dropped sharply from 2000 to 2001, from $11.4 million to $8.9
million, but improved in both 2002 and 2003. 75 This improvement has been attributed to
the weakening of the U.S. dollar, and has been the first improvement for Oregon’s
exporters since the beginning of the Asian financial crisis. Increases in shipments of
wheat and mineral bulks have led the improvement. 76
B.

ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE

Historic Economic Performance

From the beginning of its history, Oregon’s economy was centered on its natural
resources, particularly its forests, fisheries, and agricultural valleys. The state’s first
major changes to its economy came during World War II, when the nation’s need for
Oregon’s timber and shipyard facilities increased personal income and employment in the
state. Timber continued to figure heavily in Oregon’s economy after the war, when the
demand for homebuilding materials was strong. Other industries, including the metal and
paper industries, also grew within the state due to its low-cost hydroelectric sources of
energy. The state’s economy was relatively stable until the 1980s, when housing demand
slowed substantially, leading to layoffs in the state’s forest products industry. These
layoffs forced residents either to accept lower-paying jobs in other industries or to leave
the state altogether. The past two decades have seen the state diversify its economy in
response to this downturn and to changes in federal regulation that have decreased the
state’s ability to harvest as much timber as it did previously. The state’s diversification
efforts were successful in increasing employment, wages, and personal income in urban
areas, but rural areas still lagged behind, as they do today. 77
Oregon’s economy has been altered dramatically over the recent past as a result of
transformations in the national and global economic landscape. Changes that have
particularly impacted the state’s economy include the increasing importance of the
technology industry and of technology use across a wide variety of industries, the effect
of federal forests policy on the timber industry, the increasing costs of energy, and the
increasing globalization of the U.S. economy. 78

U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, Total U.S. Exports (Origin of Movement) via Oregon
Top 25 Countries Based on 2003 Dollar Value, http://www.census.gov/foreigntrade/statistics/state/country/2003/or.pdf.
75
Ibid.
76
Economy.com, Oregon State Profile, August 2004.
77
Oregon Blue Book, Oregon’s Economy.
78
The Oregon Economic & Community Development Commission (OECDD), Strategic Plan, December
2002, http://www.econ.state.or.us/stratplan.htm.

Oregon was particularly hard hit by the recession of 2001-2002. Between year-end
2000 and year-end 2001, the state lost nearly 36,000 jobs, 79 and during 2002 and 2003,
the state’s unemployment rate hovered near the very bottom of the nation, ranking 49th in
2002 and 50th at times during 2003. 80 Several factors combined to make the effects of
the recession worse in Oregon, including: a) the state economy’s reliance on high
technology; b) the state’s proximity to California and the fallout from that state’s failed
attempts to deregulate its energy industry; and c) drought conditions in the Pacific
Northwest. The Portland area suffered disproportionately because of its concentration of
high technology firms, and the state’s rural areas were also hit hard due to the drought
conditions, weakening agricultural trade, and restrictions on timber harvests. 81
2.

Recent Economic Performance

Recently, Oregon’s economy has been slowly improving. While unemployment
remains relatively high compared to the rest of the country, with the state’s seasonallyadjusted unemployment rate at 7.1% in November 2004, unemployment dropped sixtenths of a percentage point between November 2003 and November 2004. 82 And,
job growth during the first three quarters of 2004 was strong, with Oregon adding jobs at
a 2.1% annual growth rate in the second quarter and a 2.3% annual growth rate in the
third quarter. Both rates were above average and ranked Oregon seventh among the
states. 83 When final data is available for the year, 2004 is expected to be the first year
of positive job growth for Oregon since 2000. 84
Job growth has been largely driven by metro areas outside of the Portland MSA,
particularly Medford. Portland reported no job growth in the second quarter of 2004,
ranking it in the bottom half of all MSAs, but, notably, it was the first time in 12 quarters
that the MSA did not lose jobs. 85 Industries showing job growth included
professional and business services and manufacturing. Within manufacturing, the
semiconductor industry has improved its jobs position, gaining 1,000 jobs in the year
ended third quarter 2004, compared to a loss of 1,700 jobs in the previous year. 86
Growth in the number of businesses is also on the upswing in Oregon. The state ranked
eighth in the country in 2003 in business growth, with the number of firms increasing
2.1%. At the same time, the number of business bankruptcies in Oregon has stabilized
after peaking in 1999 at nearly 3000. Increases in commercial lending suggest that
79

Oregon Blue Book, Oregon’s Economy.
Oregon Business Plan, 2004 Competitive Index, Table 45,
http://www.oregonbusinessplan.org/pdf/Competitive%20Index%20Online.pdf.
81
Oregon Blue Book, Oregon’s Economy.
82
Oregon Employment Department, Oregon’s Labor Market Information System, Seasonally Adjusted
Unemployment Rates, http://www.qualityinfo.org/olmisj/OlmisZine.
83
FDIC, Oregon State Profile, Fall 2004; and FDIC, Oregon State Profile, Winter 2004.
84
State of Oregon Department of Administrative Services, Office of Economic Analysis, Oregon Economic
and Revenue Forecast – Summary, December 2004,
http://www.oea.das.state.or.us/DAS/OEA/docs/economic/press1204-update.pdf, p. 1.
85
FDIC, Oregon State Profile, Fall 2004.
86
FDIC, Oregon State Profile, Winter 2004.
80

business growth is likely to continue—the median annual commercial and industrial loan
growth rate and the rate of small business lending both increased over the past year. 87
The economic growth in Oregon has been led by improvements in the international
trade market and in the construction industry. The weakening U.S. dollar has
improved market conditions for Oregon’s manufacturers who export their product
overseas. This improvement has been reflected in rising export volumes throughout 2002
and 2003 and in an all-time record set by the Port of Portland in December 2003 for the
number of containers processed. 88 The construction market has been fueled by
increasing activity in homebuilding, public projects, and commercial construction,
although the state’s office space market has not yet fully recovered from the recession. 89
3.

Economic Outlook

Oregon’s recovery is expected to continue in line with that of the U.S. economy
overall, albeit more slowly. Oregon’s Office of Economic Analysis’ December 2004
economic forecast for the state predicts that the state will reach its pre-recession job level
by mid-2005 and will have positive job growth through 2006, with strong job growth in
professional and business services, health services, and metal and machinery
manufacturing. 90 High-technology manufacturing may also see job growth, as Intel and
Sun Microsystems, among other high-tech companies, have indicated plans to hire new
employees and/or shift existing staff to Oregon. 91 The Office of Economic Analysis
reports that there are several upside opportunities facing the Oregon economy as of
December 2004, including a possible sharp reduction in oil prices once political and
weather-related disruptions cease, recovering business and consumer confidence, and
controlled growth of China and India. The realization of any of these opportunities
would provide Oregon with a chance to strengthen its economic position. 92
In the long term, Oregon is expected to be able to utilize its energy and commodity
resources, well-educated workforce, and positive migration trends to drive growth. 93
However, according to the Office of Economic Analysis, the state faces many possible
risks that, if realized, could impede the continuing improvement of its economy,
including: a) geopolitical risks; b) a falling U.S. dollar; c) a sharp and major stock market
correction; d) a possible collapse of the housing market; e) rising regional energy prices;
f) Oregon Public Employees Retirement System and possible state and local budget
shortfalls; and/or g) a slower-than-expected recovery for semiconductors, software, and
communications. 94 These risks are largely outside of Oregon’s control, but the state
might need to develop plans to minimize the economic fallout from these risks should
they occur.
87

Ibid.
Economy.com, Oregon State Profile, December 2003.
89
Economy.com, Oregon State Profile, August 2004.
90
Office of Economic Analysis, Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast – Summary, pp. 1-2.
91
FDIC, Oregon State Profile, Fall 2004.
92
Office of Economic Analysis, Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast – Summary, p. 4.
93
Economy.com, Oregon State Profile, August 2004.
94
Office of Economic Analysis, Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast – Summary, p. 3.
88

III.

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

STRUCTURE

State and Local Governments

As of June 2002, Oregon had 1,439 active local governments, ranking it 22nd-highest
among all states in the number of local governments. 95 However, Oregon ranks only 42nd
highest in the nation for state and local government employment per capita, with 51.6
full-time employees per 1,000 residents, compared to 54.0 for the U.S. as a whole. 96
Oregon has 36 county governments, each of which has a governing body called the board
of county commissioners or the county court. The state is also home to 240 municipal
governments that provide direct services to city or town residents. To administer its
public schools, Oregon established 236 school district governments, including common
school districts, joint school districts, union high school districts, community college
districts, and community college service districts. School district governments in the
state are governed by an elected body and may levy local school taxes. Most school
districts can also issue general obligation bonds with voter approval. In addition, there
are 927 special district governments in Oregon, authorized by state statutes to fulfill a
variety of needs. Among these special purpose governments are transportation
authorities, health districts, utility districts, park and recreation districts, along with
agencies fulfilling many other missions. Oregon also has numerous subordinate agencies
and special areas that possess some governmental features but are not counted as separate
government agencies, such as joint operating agencies for electric power, the Oregon
Youth Authority, and county road districts. 97
In addition to the governments described above, Oregon also has 14 regional
governments known as Councils of Governments (COGs). The COGs are voluntary
associations of local governments cooperating on issues and problems which cross city,
county, and in some cases state boundaries. In 1984, the Councils formed the Oregon
Regional Councils Association to coordinate their efforts. 98
2.

Educational System

Oregon’s public primary and secondary educational system is divided into 198 school
districts, which together serve 551,290 students. Oregon’s Department of Education also
runs the Oregon School for the Blind, Oregon School for the Deaf, and educational

U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 Census of Governments, Preliminary Profile of Oregon,
http://ftp2.census.gov/govs/cog/gc0212or.pdf.
96
California Department of Finance, 2003 California Statistical Abstract, Table 27,
http://www.dof.ca.gov/html/fs_data/stat-abs/Tables/P27.xls.
97
U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 Census of Governments, Preliminary Profile of Oregon.
98
Oregon Blue Book, Regional Governments, http://bluebook.state.or.us/local/other/other01.htm.

programs in correctional facilities. 99 Additionally, Oregon has 43 charter schools that
enroll 2,107 students. 100
Oregon also has a wide range of post-secondary educational offerings. The state has 17
community colleges, which together serve approximately 377,000 students a year. 101
Many students in the state attend community college for two years and then transfer to
one of the seven universities within the Oregon University System (OUS). The OUS is
comprised of seven universities under the control of the governor-appointed State Board
of Higher Education: three statewide universities, four regional universities, and one
satellite campus. The Oregon Health and Science University is also affiliated with the
OUS system. 102 Based on fall 2004 figures, the total enrollment of the Oregon State
University system was 80,066, with the bulk of students attending either Portland State
University (enrollment of 23,486), the University of Oregon (enrollment of 20,339), or
Oregon State University at Corvallis (enrollment of 19,159). 103 Oregon also has
numerous independent higher education institutions, including Lewis & Clark College,
Reed College, and Willamette University, which enroll more than 30,000 students
annually. 104
B.

GOVERNMENT FINANCES

Revenues for Oregon’s state and local governments derive primarily from taxes (45%),
federal revenue (25%), and direct charges for services such as tuition and park fees
(18%). An additional 12% of revenue is categorized as miscellaneous revenue, which
includes both interest earnings and lottery revenue. As the table that follows indicates,
Oregon relies less heavily on taxes as a source of revenue than do other states. This
is largely due to the passage by voters of Measure 5 in the 1990 election, which set
constitutional limits on Oregon’s property taxes. 105 Oregon is also one of only five
states in the U.S. without a sales tax. For these reasons, personal income tax is
particularly important to Oregon. In FY 2000-2001, personal income tax accounted for
74.4% of state taxes collected, well ahead of other types of taxes, including selective
sales (11.3%), corporate income tax (5.5%), and other taxes (8.8%). No other state is as
dependent on any single source of tax revenue as Oregon is on personal income taxes. 106
Oregon ranks 34th nationally in terms of state and local tax burden (with 1st being the

Oregon Blue Book, Education: Introduction and Statistics,
http://bluebook.state.or.us/education/educationintro.htm.
100
U.S. Charter Schools, State by State Numbers, http://www.uscharterschools.org/cs/sp/query/q/1595.
101
Oregon Blue Book, Community Colleges,
http://bluebook.state.or.us/education/commcolleges/commcolleges.htm.
102
Oregon Blue Book, Public Higher Education in Oregon,
http://bluebook.state.or.us/education/highered/highered.htm.
103
Oregon University System, 2004 Enrollment Reports, http://www.ous.edu/irs/graybook04/.
104
Oregon Blue Book, Independent Colleges and Universities,
http://bluebook.state.or.us/education/indepcoll/indepcoll.htm.
105
State of Oregon Legislative Revenue Office, 2003 Oregon Public Finance: Basic Facts, p. A1,
http://www.leg.state.or.us/comm/lro/2003oregon_public_finance_basic_facts.pdf.
106
Ibid, p. A2.

highest tax burden), with an average state and local tax amount of 9.5%, below the
national average of 10.0%. 107
Oregon’s General Revenue Sources
Revenue Source
% of 1989-1990 Total
% of 1999-2000 Total
Taxes
54%
45% (57%)*
Federal Revenue
20%
25% (19%)
Charges
13%
18% (14%)
Miscellaneous
13%
12% (10%)
Source: State of Oregon Legislative Revenue Office, 2003 Oregon Public Finance: Basic Facts, p. A2.
*(1999-2000 U.S. average shown in parentheses)

After suffering during the recession of 2001-2002, the state’s financial picture looks
to be improving. From 2002 through mid-2003, Oregon was faced with seven straight
quarters of lower-than-expected tax revenues, but by year-end 2003, revenues appeared
to have stabilized. 108
Oregon generally fares well on measures of fiscal soundness. The state receives strong
bond ratings from credit rating agencies for its general obligation bonds, including
an A+ from Fitch Ratings, an Aa3 from Moody’s Investors Service and an AA- from
Standard & Poor’s. 109 As of June 2002, Moody’s Medians reported that the state had a
net tax-supported debt per capita of $437, or approximately 1.5% of personal income.
Both of these statistics put Oregon well below the national medians of $537 for per
capita debt and 2.3% for debt as a percent of personal income. 110 As of June 2002,
Oregon had the following outstanding debt: $2.3 billion in general obligation debt, $2.1
billion in revenue debt, and more than $855 million in outstanding certificates of
participation. 111
C.

MAJOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT

Oregon’s Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD) is the
state’s lead agency for economic and community development. OECDD provides
communities, counties, ports, tribes, special districts, community colleges, and local
economic development groups with economic development assistance, including
planning for long-term goals and the facilitation of public and private partnerships. The
department also provides communities with low-interest loans and/or grants for
infrastructure development projects.

107

The Tax Foundation, Tax Burdens by State in 2004, http://www.taxfoundation.org/statelocal04.html.
Oregon State Treasury, 2003 Annual Report,
http://www.ost.state.or.us/about/annual_reports/2003%20Oregon%20State%20Treasury%20Annual%20Re
port.pdf, p. 2.
109
California State Treasurer’s Office, Comparison of Other States’ General Obligation Bond Ratings,
December 2004, http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/ratings/current.htm.
110
Oregon State Treasury, State of Oregon Bonded Debt Profile, July 2002,
http://www.ost.state.or.us/divisions/dmd/bondeddebtprofile/ddebtprofile_01102003.pdf, p. 20.
111
Ibid, p. 1.
108

OECDD also takes the lead on providing assistance to small businesses in Oregon,
primarily by providing funding to a variety of small-business resources throughout the
state and by administering loan and loan guarantee programs. The Governor's Small
Business Council also plays role in small business matters in Oregon. Made up of 11
small business owners and managers, it works with the Governor, OECDD, and other
state agencies to develop recommendations on best practices for promoting the growth
and economic vitality of Oregon's small business sector.
Oregon Housing and Community Service (OHCS) leads housing and poverty-related
programs in Oregon. The organization resulted from a blending of the Oregon Housing
Agency with State Community Services, which was done to create a single agency that
could offer a continuum of programs to assist low-income individuals and families to
become self-reliant. OHCS administers state and federal antipoverty, homeless, energy
assistance, and community service programs. As Oregon’s housing agency, it assists in
the financing of single-family homes and the new construction or rehabilitation of
multifamily affordable housing developments. Additionally, it offers grants and tax
credits to promote affordable housing. Oregon’s Department of Human Services
(DHS) also plays an important role in antipoverty efforts, administering Oregon’s state
health plan, TANF, the state’s welfare to work program (JOBS) program, and foods
stamps.
The Legislative Commission on Indian Services has the primary responsibility for
issues related to Native Americans in Oregon. The Commission was created to provide a
single point of contact for the consideration of Indian needs and concerns and to serve as
a reference point for finding out about state programs and policies. The Commission is
composed of one member from each of Oregon’s federally-recognized Indian tribes, one
state senator, and one state representative.

IV.

NONPROFITS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

NONPROFITS

As of 2001, there were 9,211 charitable organizations in Oregon, up 15.9% from 1997.
Of these organizations, 7,291 received less than $25,000 in annual contributions, leading
them to be classified as “small.” All together, the 9,211 charitable organizations had
combined annual revenue of nearly $10 billion in 2001, not far below the $11.4
billion general fund in Oregon in 2003. 112 Data analyzed by the Oregon Community
Foundation indicates that charitable contributions in the state are concentrated on
educational institutions and related activities, with the next largest amount of money
going to arts, culture, and humanities.
Charitable giving in the state is dominated by individuals, who provided nearly 63% of
the donations in 2002 to a group of “bellwether” nonprofits tracked by the Oregon
Community Foundation, nearly three times the amount donated by foundations and four
times the amount donated by businesses. Donations from individuals increased 5.1%
between 2001 and 2002, while business donations dropped 0.9% and foundation
donations dropped 8.9%. The Oregon Community Foundation attributes the drop in
donations from foundations largely to the decline in foundation assets brought about by
the economic downturn. While the number of foundations in the state increased from
661 in 1997 to 1,105 in 2003, the combined assets level of the foundations in May 2003
was actually below its January 2002 high.
Oregon ranks 15th-highest in the nation in the percent of personal income donated to
charities, with the average percent of income given 2.3%. This percentage represents an
increase over the past decade, as Oregonians donated only 1.8% of their incomes in 1992
and ranked only 19th in the country as of 1999. 113
B.

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

CFED’s data on bank access reveals a relatively strong position for Oregon,
particularly on access to checking accounts. Specifically, about half of the state’s
households have a checking account and 70% of households have a savings account. 114
These percentages yield national rankings on these measures of second and 19th,
respectively. 115
There are 55 separately-chartered banks and thrifts in the state, though half of the FDICinsured deposits in Oregon are controlled by three of them: U.S. Bank (23%),
Washington Mutual (14%), and Wells Fargo (13%). 116 The number of banks in Oregon
112

The Oregon Community Foundation’s Giving in Oregon Council, 2003 Report on Philanthropy,
http://www.ocf1.org/news_events/giving_in_oregon.htm.
113
Ibid.
114
Interest-bearing checking accounts were included in the savings accounts category.
115
CFED, State Asset Development Report Card (SADRC), 2002, pp. 114-115.
116
FDIC, Deposit Market Share Report: Oregon, June 2004.

has decreased over the last several years. 117 As of the third quarter 2004, the median
quarterly return on assets (ROA) among established institutions headquartered in Oregon
was 1.30%, down slightly from the prior year’s 1.38%, but well above the 1.07%
reported by established institutions nationwide. 118 There are also 102 credit unions
active in Oregon (79 federally chartered and 23 state chartered credit unions),
which together control 33.2% of total credit union/bank assets in the state, more
than five times the market share of all U.S. credit unions (6.5% of total assets). 119
C.

CDFIs

Oregon has 12 organizations that have been certified by the Community
Development Financial Institutions Fund as of November 2004. To achieve
certification, an entity must have a primary mission of promoting community
development, must principally serve and maintain accountability to an eligible target
market, be a financing entity, provide development services, and not be either a
government entity or controlled by a government entity. 120 CDFIs in Oregon serve
primarily low-income and minority individuals, and provide much-needed funding to
rural areas. At the end of FY 2002, CDFIs in Oregon had $162 million in financing
outstanding to more than 18,000 customers. 121
The 12 certified CDFIs in Oregon are: 122
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

117

Harney County Federal Credit Union
O.U.R. Federal Credit Union
SOWAC Microenterprise Development Center
Community & Shelter Assistance Corporation dba CASA of Oregon
Mercy Enterprise Corporation
Albina Community Bancorp
Albina Community Bank
Hacienda Community Credit Union
Homestead Community Financing, LLC
Network for Oregon Affordable Housing
Portland Housing Center
Rural Community Assistance Corporation

U.S Small Business Administration, 2003 State Small Business Profile: Oregon,
http://www.sba.gov/advo/stats/profiles/03or.pdf.
118
FDIC, Oregon State Profile¸ Winter 2004.
119
Oregon Credit Union League, Credit Union Fact Sheet, http://www.cuna.org/download/oregon_fs.pdf.
120
CDFI Fund, U.S. Department of the Treasury, CDFI Fund Overview,
http://www.cdfifund.gov/overview/index.asp.
121
CDFI Coalition, CDFIs in Oregon: 2004 Fact Sheet, http://www.cdfi.org/states/Oregon2004.pdf.
122
CDFI Fund, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Certified CDFI’s – Alphabetical by State and County,
November 2004.

In addition, certain CDFIs are headquartered in other states but also operate in Oregon,
including Cascadia Revolving Loan Fund, headquartered in Washington, and Rural
Community Assistance Corporation, headquartered in California.
Certification as a CDFI also enables entities to apply for various awards from the CDFI
Fund. Recent awardees in Oregon include the following: 123
•

•

•
•
•

123

The Harney County Federal Credit Union, which serves low-income residents
of rural Harney County (Eastern Oregon), received a 2001 Core grant to expand
its current services, upgrade its loan processing software, provide an ATM for its
customers, and provide staff and board training.
The O.U.R. Federal Credit Union has received three awards. Most recently, in
2001, the institution was awarded a $270,000 Core grant that it planned to use to
implement a debit card system and strengthen its capacity to provide more
reasonably-priced loans and other services.
The Community & Shelter Assistance Corporation dba CASA of Oregon
received a Core award in 2002 that it planned to use to increase its ability to make
predevelopment and land acquisition loans and to help develop its capacity as a
CDFI through the acquisition of technology, training, and consulting services.
Albina Community Bank has received five awards. Most recently, in 2003, the
bank received an award through the BEA program to allow it to increase its
financing activities in economically distressed areas of Oregon.
Mercy Enterprise Corporation received a SECA grant in 2002 to support its
efforts to capitalize its microloan fund and strengthen its operational capacity.
Portland Housing Center received a 2001 Core award to enhance its ability to
revolve its funds, which will allow it to better serve its target population of lowincome customers.

CDFI Fund, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Awardee Profiles by State – Oregon,
http://www.cdfifund.gov/awardees/pdf/states/oregon.pdf.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Oregon’s housing market has had difficulty keeping up with the state’s changing
economy and demographics. As of 2002, Oregon had the ninth-lowest homeownership
rate in the country, with only 66% of households owning their own home. This situation
does not seem likely to change in the near future, as median home values have
increased much faster than median income in the recent past. 124 Rental housing is not
much more affordable for lower-income individuals and families, as Oregon is ranked
48th on rental housing affordability, making it the third-least affordable state for
renters. 125 Despite efforts by the state to address its housing affordability problem, such
as the adoption of a state housing trust fund, a variety of state tax credits, and a package
of programs targeted towards first-time homebuyers, 126 Oregon appears to have made
little progress toward solving its housing affordability challenges. 127
A.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS

Overall Housing Market

Oregon has a total of 1.5 million housing units, of which 93%, or 1.4 million units, are
occupied. Oregon’s 2003 vacancy rate was lower than the national average of 10.3%. Of
occupied housing units, 63% are occupied by owners and 37% are occupied by renters.
The majority of Oregon’s housing units (67%) are single-unit structures, although 24%
are located in multi-unit structures and 9% are mobile homes. Approximately one quarter
of Oregon’s housing units have been built since 1990. 128
As of 2003, the median value of owner-occupied units in Oregon with a mortgage was
$171,039. The median monthly housing cost for mortgaged owners was $1,216,
nonmortgaged owners, $321, and renters, $657. A substantial portion of Oregon
residents, renters in particular, spend more than 30% of their monthly household
income on housing – as of 2003, 34% of owners with mortgages, 8% of owners without
mortgages, and 51% of renters in the state fell into this category. 129
2.

National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Analyses of Rental Housing
Affordability

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has for several years produced a
report entitled Out of Reach that analyzes the country’s wage-rent disparity. Specifically,
the NLIHC calculates the amount of money a household must earn in order to afford a
rental unit in a range of sizes at the area’s Fair Market Rent (FMR), based on the
124

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), Setting the Standard: 2003-2005 Strategic Plan,
http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/DO/docs/03-05StrategicPlanWhole.pdf, p. 12.
125
U.S. Census Bureau, 2003 American Community Survey Data.
126
CFED, SADRC, p. 68.
127
Oregon Progress Board, 2003 Benchmark Performance Report,
http://egov.oregon.gov/DAS/OPB/docs/2003report/Report/2003BPR.pdf, p. 51.
128
U.S. Census Bureau, 2003 American Community Survey Data.
129
Ibid.

generally-accepted limit of paying no more than 30% of income for housing costs. The
required income is then compared to the Area Median Income (AMI), the minimum
wage, and the incomes of extremely low-income households (less than 30% of AMI). In
addition, in 2004, the NLIHC released a report entitled Up Against a Wall: Housing
Affordability for Renters, analyzing the rental-housing related data from the 2003
American Community Survey.
Taken together, the reports indicate that Oregon suffers from a serious lack of
affordable rental housing. Using an index that takes into account the state’s median
gross rent, a ratio of rental costs to incomes, and the percentage of renter households in
the state spending more than 50% of income on rent, the NLIHC ranked Oregon as
having the third-least affordable rental housing in the country. Looking at the
individual measures, Oregon’s median gross rent in 2003 was $657, ranking the state as
only the 21st-most expensive state, but its renter affordability ratio rank was lower, at
fifth-least affordable. And, more than one quarter of renters in the state spend more than
50% of their income on rent, ranking the state second worst on that measure. 130
In Oregon, the “housing wage,” which is the amount a full-time (40 hours per week)
worker must earn in order to afford a two-bedroom unit at the area’s FMR, is
$12.89. This wage is well above the state’s minimum wage of $7.05 per hour. Put
differently, based on the FMR, a minimum-wage worker must work 73 hours per week
in order to afford the rent on the average two-bedroom unit in Oregon. 131
Comparing the FMR to the wages of renters in Oregon, an estimated 44% of renters
were unable to afford the two-bedroom FMR as of 2003. In the most expensive
locations in the state, this figure rises even higher, coming in at 53% in the Corvallis
MSA and Benton County, and at 51% in the Eugene-Springfield MSA and Lane
County. 132
3.

Homeownership Statistics

Oregon ranks somewhat below average in its rate of homeownership, but above average
in the median value of homes in the state. As of 2002, 66.2% of Oregon households
owned their own homes, up from 64.3% in 2000. 133 Oregon’s current homeownership
rate places it 42nd, or ninth lowest in the nation. 134 And, trends in the state’s housing
market aren’t making it easy for renters to become homeowners—between 1990 and
2000, Oregon’s median household income increased by 50.2% while the median
value of owner-occupied homes increased by 126.7%. 135 However, Oregon ranks
13th-highest in the nation in median housing value of specified owner-occupied
housing units with a mortgage. 136
130

NLIHC, Up Against A Wall: Housing Affordability for Renters, Ranking Tables, 2003 ACS Renter
Affordability Measures, November 2004, http://nlihc.org/pubs/uaw04/newrankingtables.pdf.
131
NLIHC, Out of Reach 2004, http://nlihc.org/oor2004/.
132
NLIHC, Out of Reach 2003, http://nlihc.org/oor2003/.
133
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
134
U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2003.
135
OHCS, Setting the Standard: 2003-2005 Strategic Plan.
136
U.S. Census Bureau, 2003 American Community Survey Data.

In contrast to its low ranking for homeownership overall, Oregon fares relatively well in
rankings of disparity of homeownership rates among race, gender, and income.
Specifically, Oregon has the 12th-smallest gap in homeownership rates between whiteheaded households and non-white-headed households, and the 15th-smallest gap
between genders. However, the state has not been as successful in terms of
narrowing the gap between income levels, ranking only 34th-best in the nation on the
measure. 137
4.

State Five-Year Plan

In 2000, OHCS and Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development
(DLCD) developed a housing needs analysis methodology and model to allow them to
forecast housing needs for counties throughout the state. Using this model, the state
estimated in its 2001-2005 Five Year Plan that it needed a total of 172,111 subsidized
rental units, of which only 41,620 existed in 2001 throughout the state’s counties.
Counties with the lowest existing units as a percentage of total units needed include
Sherman (0%), Lake (4.2%), and Benton (8.2%), while counties with the highest
percentages include Jefferson (40.1%), Multnomah (37.9%), and Wallowa (37.7%). 138
5.

Oregon Progress Board Analysis

The Oregon Progress Board, an independent state planning and oversight agency, is
responsible for monitoring the state's 20-year strategic vision, Oregon Shines. To do so,
the Board publishes regular benchmark reports that grade the state’s progress in key
areas, including community development. The state’s benchmarks for affordable housing
are the percentage of renters and owners earning below median income spending more
than 30% of their income on housing (including utilities). In the Progress Board’s 2001
report, it gave the state a grade of “F” for affordable housing for renters and a “C”
for owners, 139 and in the Board’s 2003 report, it reported little progress; the
percentage of low-income renters paying more than 30% of their income for housing was
unchanged since 1990, and data on costs for owners indicated that owners at all income
levels in the state were facing higher cost burdens. 140
6.

Oregon Action Raise the Roof Study

In January 2003, Oregon Action, a community group focused on economic and social
justice, released a study profiling the unmet housing need in Oregon and recommending
strategies for communities within the state to address the affordable housing challenge.
The group reported that despite a commitment from the Governor to address the
affordable housing crisis in 1998, little progress had been made. HUD research cited in
137

CFED, SADRC, pp. 95-97.
OHCS, State of Oregon Consolidated Plan 2001-2005,
http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/HD/HRS/CONSPLAN/Section2.pdf, p. 2-15.
139
Oregon Progress Board, 2001 Benchmark Performance Report, p. 58,
http://egov.oregon.gov/DAS/OPB/docs/2001report/CH7.pdf.
140
Oregon Progress Board, 2003 Benchmark Performance Report, p. 51.
138

the report shows that between 1950 and 2000, Oregon was last in the nation in
homeownership growth and that during the 1990s, Oregon lagged 39% behind the
national increase in homeownership rates. And, despite the increased need for
subsidized housing in Oregon, the study reports that the supply of subsidized housing
remains inadequate to meet the demand. Households in the state who qualify for HUD’s
Section 8 rental assistance program often wait a year or longer to receive such assistance,
and then have difficulty finding affordable, safe housing once they do receive their
vouchers. The study also addresses Oregon’s homelessness problem, reporting that
OHCS estimates that the homeless population in Oregon has increased by 49% since
1990 and that approximately 9,000 homeless individuals seek shelter each night in
Oregon.
In order to address these issues, the group recommends a combination of strategies,
including the following:
•
•
•
•
•

establishing housing trust funds with dedicated sources of revenue;
establishing community land trusts;
establishing local affordable housing commissions in more Oregon communities;
re-establishing the practice of inclusionary zoning, which was banned by the state
legislature in 1999; and
adopting ordinances that protect mobile home residents in the event of a sale of a
mobile home park. 141

AFFORDABLE HOUSING RESOURCES

CFED’s Affordable Homeownership Program Rankings

Oregon received recognition from CFED for its recent efforts to put in place
homeownership assistance programs. The state has a state housing trust fund, which
provides it with a dedicated source of funds for housing activities. It also has a
property-tax circuit breaker program to provide property tax relief to elderly renters,
and a variety of first-time homebuyer assistance programs, including: a) direct
lending for homeownership; b) homeownership counseling; c) funds for second
mortgages; and d) direct grants for down payments. Oregon also ranks fairly high (17th)
among the states on its percentage of state allocations of private activity bonds for
mortgage revenue bonds. 142
2.

Public Housing Units

HUD’s Resident Characteristics Report summarizes general information about
households in the state that reside in Public Housing, Indian Housing, or who receive
Section 8 assistance. According to the report, Oregon has 5,636 public housing units,
141

Carson Strege-Flora, Oregon Action & Northwest Federation of Community Organizations, Raise the
Roof: Empowering Oregon Communities for Affordable Housing, January 2003, http://www.nwfco.org/0113-03_OR_housing_cmyk.pdf.
142
CFED, SADRC, pp. 129-133.

of which 3,233 were occupied. The average annual income for residents in these units is
$11,186, with 61% of occupants qualifying as “extremely low income” (below 30% of
median income). The vast majority of units are occupied by people who identify as
White (96%), with the remainder of units occupied by individuals who identify as Asian
or Black/African American. 143
3.

State of Oregon Consolidated Five-Year Strategic Plan

OHCS acknowledges that Oregon has a challenge in providing decent and affordable
housing, particularly in areas experiencing rapid growth, and uses its Five-Year
Consolidated Plan for 2001-2005 to set out its strategies to address the challenge.
Specifically, these strategies are to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

promote an adequate supply of quality, affordable, appropriate rental housing for
very low-, low- and moderate-income individuals and families, including persons
with special housing needs;
maintain and preserve in good condition the existing supply of affordable
homeowner units;
promote independent housing options for Oregon’s special needs populations;
support and facilitate an active and effective regional Continuum of Care planning
and delivery system focusing on a comprehensive approach to housing and
service delivery to people who are homeless and near homeless;
identify and address the barriers to affordable rental housing, support services,
and shelters;
identify and address a strategy for reducing lead-based paint hazards in rural areas
of the state; and
identify and address a coordinated strategy of housing and non-housing
community development programs targeted to combat the effects of poverty on
vulnerable Oregon households. 144

By actual unit numbers, the state of Oregon indicates in its five-year plan that between
FY 2001 and FY 2005, it will help 700 households annually with tenant-based rental
assistance, assist with development of 400 affordable rental units annually, provide
transitional housing units that allow 692 formerly homeless individuals to transition to
permanent housing, and develop permanent state housing for 12 formerly homeless
individuals. 145
4.

Affordable Housing Programs Using Federal Funds

The state of Oregon applies for and receives federal grants to be distributed to nonentitlement areas in the state, generally serving rural areas. In addition to federal funds
received by the state, there are also other entitlement areas in the state that receive HUD
143

HUD, Resident Characteristics Report for Oregon, as of December 31, 2004,
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/systems/pic/50058/rcr/index.cfm.
144
OHCS, State of Oregon Consolidated Plan 2001-2005.
145
Ibid.

funding directly, including Clackamas County, Washington County, Multnomah County,
Salem/Keizer, City of Portland, Corvallis, and Eugene/Springfield.
As a whole, including entitlement and non-entitlement jurisdictions, Oregon received
$332.7 million in grants and rental housing assistance from HUD in 2002, the last
year for which compiled data is available. HUD assistance included $194.4 million for
public housing programs, $39.4 million in CDBG (Community Development Block
Grant) funds, $20.6 million in HOME funds, $1.4 million in ESG (Emergency Shelter
Grant) funds, and $1.7 million in HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with
AIDS) funds. 146
To better understand Oregon’s allocation of federal funds in non-entitlement areas on an
annual basis, it is useful to examine OHCS’ Consolidated Action Plan for FY 2004. The
Plan anticipated $11.6 million in HOME funds, which were to be used for a variety of
projects, including tenant-based assistance (25% of funds), acquisition of new land for
construction of rental units (30% of funds), acquisition and/or rehabilitation of multi-unit
rental housing and refinancing of existing project debt (15% of funds), and rental rehab
and new construction of rental housing by CHDOs (15% of funds). The State also
anticipated receiving $859,000 in ESG funds for 2004 and planned to use them to provide
funding to a number of homeless provider agencies in rural Oregon. Additionally, the
state expected $1.1 million in HOPWA funds in 2004, most of which were to be allocated
to providing tenant-based rental assistance for persons with AIDS, funding a postincarceration housing program for persons with AIDS, and continuing work to develop a
continuum of housing and related supportive services opportunities for people living with
HIV/AIDS and their families. 147
In addition to federal HOME, ESG, and HOPWA funds, Oregon utilizes a variety of
other federal funds to address the need for affordable housing including CDGB funds,
Section 184 loans, Section 8 Vouchers, and Section 202/811 Capital grants, among
others. Oregon also benefits from federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits and was
allocated approximately $6 million dollars in credits for 2004, providing an important
source of equity for affordable housing projects. 148 The U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Division also offers a number of affordable
housing programs in Oregon focused on rural areas including loans, grants, and loan
guarantees. 149

146

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2002 Oregon HUD Funding Report,
http://www.hud.gov/local/or/library/oregonv20030224.pdf.
147
OHCS, 2004 Annual Action Plan: Housing and Community Development Programs,
http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/HD/HRS/CONSPLAN/AnnualActionPlan.doc.
148
Ibid.
149
USDA Rural Development - Oregon, Oregon, http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/or/.

State-Funded Affordable Housing Programs

OHCS has developed several programs to address the low homeownership rates
among low-income and minority households in the state. OHCS’s package of services
includes:
•
•

•

Oregon’s Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP), through which OCHS,
in partnership with the lending industry, provides grants for closing costs and
downpayment assistance for low-income, first-time homebuyers;
Oregon’s Residential Loan Program, which provides below-market rate
financing to qualified buyers. During 2003 through 2005, OHCS’s goal is to
increase the number of low-income households assisted under this plan to 75% or
more of the total households assisted, and the percentage of minority and
ethnically diverse households to 20% or more; and
the ABC’s of Homebuying educational program for first-time homebuyers,
sponsored by OHCS and administered by the Homeowner Education
Collaborative of Oregon, which provides lessons in the basics of homeownership
and the homebuying process. 150

The state also offers several other non-federal programs and tax credits, including: 151
•

•

150

the Housing Development Grant (“Trust Fund”) Program, which provides
funds to construct or rehabilitate housing for low- and very low-income families
and individuals. The program is funded through the Oregon General Fund, and
estimated funding for 2004 was $1,750,000;
the Farmworker Housing Tax Credit Program, which provides a state income
tax credit to investors who incur costs to construct, install, acquire, or rehabilitate
farmworker housing. The amount of costs eligible for reimbursement was
recently increased by the state legislature, and the legislature also removed the
sunset provision from the establishing legislation;
the Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit Program, which provides a state
income tax credit for affordable housing loans on which a lender reduces the
interest rate by up to four percent. Estimated annual funding for the program in
2004 was $9 million;
Alcohol and Drug Free Housing Grants, which provide funding to those
constructing new housing units or acquiring and/or rehabilitating existing housing
to be used to create drug and alcohol free housing. These grants are funded from
the Oregon Human Services general fund, and funding was expected to be
$500,000 in 2004;
the Low Income Weatherization program, supporting the weatherization of
owner and rental units occupied by income-qualified persons; and

OHCS, Setting the Standard: 2003-2005 Strategic Plan.
OHCS, Fact Sheet: Housing Resources Section,
http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/HRS_SectionFacts.shtml.
151

•

emergency assistance programs such as the Emergency Housing Account, the
State Homeless Assistance Program, and the Housing Stabilization Program, all
of which provide emergency housing for Oregon’s homeless.
Other Sources

The Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH) is a nonprofit multi-bank
lending consortium founded in 1990 to respond to the statewide shortage of affordable
housing. NOAH has provided over $72 million in loans and commitments, representing
nearly 3,300 units of affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income
Oregonians. NOAH offers permanent financing, a seamless loan product, and
preservation financing for the acquisition and renovation of HUD expiring-use
projects. 152
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle (FHLB) also contributes to affordable
housing in Oregon through several programs, including its Challenge Fund,
Community Investment Program (CIP), Affordable Housing Program (AHP), and
Home$tart Program. The programs are described in more detail below, and
information about recent grant awardees is available on the Seattle Bank’s website at
http://www.fhlbsea.com/FHLBSEA/main/communityinvestment3/.
The Challenge Fund is a recoverable grant program that provides seed money of up to
$20,000 per project. Through it, the FHLB encourages the creation of affordable housing
in geographic areas where there is a lack of development capacity. FHLB awards grants
to member financial institutions that typically combine them with their own financial or
in-kind contributions before passing them to the sponsor developer.
Through the CIP, members can apply for advances (loans) to support affordable housing
initiatives. This loan program is unique in that financial institution members can apply
for advances that the Seattle Bank extends at 10 basis points below regular price, for
terms from five to 30 years. Rate locks are also available for periods up to 24 months.
These loans are especially effective when they support housing and commercial
development in distressed or rural areas where financial resources are scarce.
The AHP offers grants to member financial institutions and their community sponsors to
stimulate affordable rental and homeownership opportunities for low-income households.
AHP grants have been used in a variety of ways, including to: lower the interest rate on a
loan, reduce mortgage principal, fund rehabilitation and new construction, and cover
down payment and closing costs. AHP is funded with 10% of the Federal Home Loan
Bank of Seattle’s net income each year. On average, the Seattle Bank supports about 60
projects each year and awards roughly $7,000 for each unit developed.
The Home$tart program provides first-time homebuyers with downpayment assistance
and closing costs by matching their financial contributions with $3 for every $1 up to
$5,000. Households receiving public housing assistance qualify for a match of $2 for
152

http://www.noah-housing.org/

every $1 up to $10,000. Funds for Home$tart are available on a first-come, first-served
basis, starting April 1. Approximately $5.5 million was available to support homebuyers
in Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle’s region in 2004. 153

153

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle, Community Investment,
http://www.fhlbsea.com/FHLBSEA/main/communityinvestment3/.

VI.

SMALL BUSINESS

Small business is important to Oregon’s economy, with businesses with fewer than 10
employees accounting for 13% of the state’s employment, among the highest shares
in the country. Oregon receives relatively positive reviews of its business climate and
small business resources, earning praise for its strong infrastructure resources,
quality of life, and resource efficiency, 154 and ranking 11th best on its transformation
from a traditional economy to an economy based on ideas and innovation. 155 State
government, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and private organizations provide a
variety of educational and financial resources to Oregon’s small businesses, but recent
reports suggest that entrepreneurs in the state are concerned with the lack of small
business financing available and would like to see more services tailored to their
needs. 156
A.

SMALL BUSINESS NEEDS

General Background

As of 2001, Oregon was estimated to be home to 65,079 firms that employed fewer than
10 workers, accounting for 76.5% of all firms in the state. This proportion is just slightly
lower than the national average of 78.1%, but Oregon still has the 12th-highest
proportion of small firms in the country. Businesses with fewer than 10 employees
employed 13.1% of Oregon’s workers in 2001, above the national average for small
firms, ranking Oregon 11th-highest nationally on this measure. 157 Additionally, nonemployer businesses and self-employment account for a meaningful portion of wages in
the state; as of 2003, Oregon had approximately 151,000 self-employed workers. 158
In 2003, Oregon had 13,842 births of new employer firms, up 5.2% from 2002. During
the same time period, the state had 14,194 employer firm terminations, down 4.0% from
2002. Oregon also had 1,591 business bankruptcies in 2003, down 0.9% from 2002. 159
2.

CFED’s Entrepreneurship Data from their Asset Development Report Card

Oregon is particularly strong on entrepreneurship in comparison to the rest of the nation,
ranking seventh overall for its entrepreneurship rate. Sixteen percent of the labor
force in Oregon owns employer and non-employer firms, compared to only 9% in
154

CFED, 2004 Development Report Card for the States.
Robert Atkinson, Progressive Policy Institute, The 2002 State New Economy Index, June 2002,
http://www.neweconomyindex.org/states/2002/index.html.
156
The Governor’s Small Business Council of Oregon, Small Business and the Oregon Economy: The
Biennial Report of the Governor’s Small Business Council of Oregon, October 2002, http://www.oregonsmallbiz.com/GSBCRpt.pdf; and Oregon Economic & Community Development Department, Small
Business Program Survey & Assessment II, February 2004, http://www.econ.state.or.us/GSBCfinalrpt.pdf,
pp. 61-63.
157
U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2001, http://censtats.census.gov/cbpnaic/cbpnaic.shtml.
158
SBA, Small Business Economic Indicators for 2003, August 2004,
http://www.sba.gov/advo/stats/sbei03.pdf, p. 16.
159
Ibid, pp. 18-20.
155

Nevada, the lowest-ranked state. When small business ownership data is cut by race and
gender, the state ranks near the top, at sixth, in its women’s entrepreneurship rate,
and also relatively high, at 14th, in its minority entrepreneurship rate. However, these
women- and minority-owned businesses are not particularly large in terms of sales
volume, as the state ranks 28th and 22nd in the nation, respectively, in average sales for
these businesses. Lastly, and perhaps surprisingly given its strong ranking in small
business ownership, Oregon ranks only 27th highest in the nation in private loans to
small businesses. 160
3.

CFED’s Data from their Development Report Card for the States

CFED’s other report that ranks the 50 states, the 2004 Development Report Card for the
States, examines each state’s “Performance,” “Business Vitality,” and “Development
Capacity.” While not explicitly focused on small business, this CFED report does
provide insight into the health and vitality of the overall business sector in the state.
Oregon received above-average marks on the Report Card, earning “B”s in
Performance and Business Vitality, and an “A” in Development Capacity. Notable
in the 2004 rankings was Oregon’s improvement from a “C” (which it received for
the past four years) to a “B” in Performance. This improvement resulted from strong
grades in resource efficiency, quality of life, and equity. Oregon also received high
marks on infrastructure resources, entrepreneurial energy, and amenity resources.
However, there are some signs, including the worst unemployment ranking across
the year and high mass layoffs, that suggest that Oregon may be having more
trouble than other states recovering from the recession of 2001-2002. Oregon’s other
weaknesses include a relatively high crime rate, low average annual pay growth, belowaverage high school completion among 18-24 years olds, and high involuntary part-time
employment. 161
4.

Progressive Policy Institute’s 2002 State New Economy Index

Another report, The 2002 State New Economy Index, released by the Progressive Policy
Institute, attempts to use a relatively new set of economic indicators to measure the
transformation of a state from a traditional manufacturing economy to a newly emerging
economy based on ideas, innovation, and technology. The index is composed of 17
economic indicators summarized under five primary categories: Knowledge Jobs,
Globalization, Economic Dynamism and Competition, the Transformation to a Digital
Economy, and Technological Innovation Capacity. In the Progressive Policy Institute’s
index, Oregon ranks 11th-best overall, earning a score of 68.88, compared to a U.S.
average score of 60.32. Among the specific rankings that contributed to Oregon’s high
overall ranking were its ranks in the following categories: managerial, professional, and
tech jobs as a share of the total workforce (first), education level of the
manufacturing workforce (second), and online agriculture (second). Oregon ranks
sixth on the report’s aggregated Digital Economy measure and also ranks in the top
160
161

CFED, SADRC, pp. 107-112.
CFED, 2004 Development Report Card for the States.

ten on other Internet-related submeasures, including the percentage of adults in the state
with Internet access and the percentage of manufacturing establishments with Internet
access. Oregon’s lowest score on an aggregated measure is on Globalization, for
which the state ranks only 28th best in the nation. 162
5.

Small Business Council’s Report on Challenges for Small Businesses

The Governor’s Small Business Council releases a biennial report discussing the
challenges to small business in Oregon and providing recommendations for improving
the climate for small business growth in the state. In its most recent report, released in
October 2002, the Council identified three basic categories of challenges facing small
businesses in the state: 1) access to small business services that meet the specific needs
of individual businesses; 2) the ability to remain competitive, for example by recruiting
and retaining a qualified workforce, finding suitable business partners, locating capital,
and improving access to markets and trade; and 3) the ability to operate effectively
within the confines of Oregon policy (for example, the ability to effectively compete for
government contracts, the ability to meet regulatory standards, and the ability to influence
relevant public policy). The report stresses that the most serious challenges are
government regulations, marketing, technology changes, and workforce and capital
issues.
The Council also found that while there were many resources in existence to help small
businesses in Oregon, businesses were not taking advantage of the services to the full
extent either because they were unaware of the services or because the services were not
tailored enough to meet their specific needs. The Council noted that small businesses
were generally turning to the private sector instead of to the public sector for
assistance because they felt that the private sector better understood their needs and was
able to provide service in a more timely fashion that the public sector.163
6.

OECDD Small Business Program Survey

A 2004 program assessment conducted for the Oregon Economic & Community
Development Department found that there is little consensus about what small
businesses perceive as the weakness of state-offered small business resources and
what they would like to see the state provide. A survey of those who had used small
business services offered by OECDD or other providers in the state found that the area
with the greatest dissatisfaction was “loans and financing,” mentioned by
approximately 19% of respondents, followed by “taxes,” “the fact that state and other
service providers don’t make their services known,” “bureaucracy/red tape,” and “a lack
of qualified staff.” When asked the most important thing OECDD could do to aid small
businesses, the most frequently-mentioned responses were “make itself known” and

162
163

Robert Atkinson, Progressive Policy Institute, The 2002 State New Economy Index.
The Governor’s Small Business Council of Oregon, Small Business and the Oregon Economy.

“provide financial assistance,” followed by “provide classes/training/education” and
“provide tax breaks/assistance.” 164
7.
Small Business Survival Index
Each year, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council publishes its Small Business
Survival Index, which ranks each state on its policy environment for entrepreneurship.
In the most recent report, released in October 2004, Oregon ranked 39th among the
states, meaning it was judged to have the 12th-least friendly policy environment for
entrepreneurship. Oregon’s 2004 ranking was a slight improvement from its 2003
ranking of 42nd. On individual categories provided in the appendices to the report,
Oregon’s rankings were as follows: 165
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

B.
1.

Top personal income tax rate: 4th highest (worst)
Top capital gains tax rate: 3rd highest (worst)
Top corporate income tax rate: 21st lowest (best)
Property tax as a share of personal income: 26th lowest (best)
Sales, gross receipts, and excise tax: lowest (best)
Adjusted unemployment tax rate: 6th highest (worst)
Per capita health care spending: 8th lowest (best)
Electric utility costs: 16th lowest (best)
Workers compensation premiums: 17th lowest (best)
Crime rate: 10th highest (worst)
Number of state and local government employees: 12th lowest (best)
State gas tax: 15th highest (worst)
SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES
CFED’s Small Business Development Policy Rankings

On the policy side of small business development, Oregon received mixed ratings
from CFED. CFED gives the state credit for having in place some key programs and
policies to encourage the development of small businesses, including a capital access
program, funding from the state general funds for microenterprise, and a selfemployment option for unemployment insurance. Oregon also ranks in the top half
(21st) in the amount of small business investment company (SBIC) financing
provided to businesses. However, Oregon is criticized for not having in place a state
CDFI program or an employee ownership policy. 166
2.

164

OECDD-Related Business Services

Oregon Economic & Community Development Department (OECDD), Small Business Program Survey
& Assessment II, pp. 61-63.
165
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, Small Business Survival Index 2004,
http://www.sbsc.org/Media/pdf/SBSI_2004.pdf.
166
CFED, SADRC, pp. 143-149.

OECDD takes the lead on providing assistance to small businesses in Oregon, primarily
by funding a variety of small-business resources throughout the state and administering
loan and loan guarantee programs. Small business resources funded or recommended by
OECDD include: 167
•
•
•
•

•
•
•
•

•

Business Retention Service: utilizes private sector consultants to help private
sector companies, by providing an independent strategic assessment for
companies experiencing change or distress;
Housing Development Center: works to develop the expertise and capacity of
local emerging construction firms and to stimulate and strengthen economic
development;
Lane MicroBusiness: provides personal education, business tools, credit
strategies, and marketing opportunities that empower micro-entrepreneurs and
help them to succeed in their businesses;
Minority Business Opportunity Committee: A partnership between federal,
state, local, and regional governments in Oregon and southwest Washington that
strives to enhance opportunities for small, women- and minority-owned
businesses to earn contracts on public- and private-sector projects;
Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME): promotes and
develops entrepreneurship and economic development for ethnic minorities in the
state of Oregon and in southwest Washington;
Organization for Economic Initiatives, Inc. (OEI): delivers procurement
technical assistance to women-owned, minority-owned, rural- and distressed-area
businesses throughout the state of Oregon;
Oregon Microenterprise Network (OMEN): an enterprise development
association that provides training and offers lending and marketing expertise to
enhance members' personal effectiveness, economic literacy, and business skills;
Oregon Native American Business Network (ONABEN): a nonprofit, public
benefit organization created by northwest tribes to increase the success of private
businesses owned by Native Americans. It offers training and support focused on
developing entrepreneurship in Native American communities;
Opportunity Knocks (OK): a peer-learning organization committed to “bringing
small businesses together to solve problems.” A board of advisors made up of
small business owners accomplishes this by providing organizational,
administrative and facilitating expertise; and
Business Information Center: a cooperative effort of six state agencies to
provide information to the public about state registration and licensing
requirements for businesses.
OECDD-Related Business Financing

OECDD also provides direct financial assistance and recommendations for other
small business financing programs within the state. Financing and resources available
from the state of Oregon include: a) the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund, which
167

OECDD, Small Business Assistance, http://www.econ.state.or.us/Bismbus.htm.

offers direct loan and grant program to conduct environmental actions on brownfields; b)
the Business Development Fund, which works with banks to secure necessary funds; c)
the Capital Access Program, which helps lenders make more commercial loans to small
businesses; d) the Credit Enhancement Fund, a loan insurance tool that lenders can use
to help businesses needing extra security to obtain financing; e) the Entrepreneurial
Development Loan Fund, offering initial direct loans to help companies get started;

f) Industrial Development Revenue Bonds, which are tax-exempt bonds issued by the
state that are intended to provide long-term financing for Oregon manufacturers for land,
buildings, and equipment; and g) Local Revolving Loan Funds, which provide
additional financial resources for small business financing. 168
4.

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network

The 20 Oregon BizCenters (Oregon Small Business Development Centers) provide free
one-on-one counseling, as well as business plan assistance, market research, business
directories, resource materials, workbooks, and training in essential business skills (e.g.,
business plan preparation, financial management, personnel management and marketing)
to proposed, start-up, and existing businesses, including those that trade internationally.
Oregon estimates that its BizCenters provide assistance to 6,000 small businesses, and
that businesses started with its assistance have half the average failure rate. 169
5.

U.S. Small Business Administration

Within Oregon, the SBA maintains a District office that provides services such as startup
and operational assistance through small business training and counseling, financial
assistance for startups and existing businesses, operational and disaster help, and business
opportunities, such as government contracting, subcontracting, and procurement.
Working through local financial institutions, the SBA operates its usual loan guarantee
programs in Oregon, including the 7(a) and 504 programs. In FY 2003, the SBA
approved 1,162 small business loans in the Portland District Office Area for over
$260 million in small business financing, making the SBA the premier small business
financing source in Oregon. 170 The SBA also provides funding to SCORE chapters and
the SBDC Network to reach entrepreneurs with counseling, training, and technical
advisory services. In addition, SBA partners with SCORE to offer a state-of-the-art small
business resource center and business resource library within the SBA offices. 171
6.

SCORE

The SCORE Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing counseling to
individuals interested in starting a small business. The organization partners with the
SBA to provide its services. The Oregon SCORE district has volunteer counselors
organized into five chapters in four cities around the state (Portland, Salem, Eugene, and
Medford). Services provided include seminars and workshops on various business
topics, as well as free one-on-one counseling with business professionals. 172
168

OECDD, Business Financial Programs, http://www.econ.state.or.us/financeb.htm.
Oregon Small Business Development Centers, Frequently Asked Questions,
http://www.bizcenter.org/faqs.html.
170
Donald Matsuda, U.S. Small Business Administration – Portland District Office, information provided
via email, December 2004.
171
U.S. Small Business Administration, Homepage for the SBA Office in Portland, Oregon,
http://www.sba.gov/or/aboutus.html.
172
SBA Portland Office, SCORE: Counselors to America's Small Business,
http://www.sba.gov/or/orscore.html.
169

VII.

POVERTY AND ASSET ACCUMULATION

Overall, Oregon ranks relatively well on measures of poverty and asset accumulation.
The state’s poverty rate is slightly lower than the nation’s, and is the 21st highest of
all the states. 173 Oregon also has the seventh-highest mean net worth nationally, and
the 12th-lowest percentage of households with zero or negative net worth. 174
However, poverty rates in Oregon declined less than the U.S. average decline
between 1990 and 1999, and vary widely between counties. 175 Oregon is credited with a
number of supportive asset accumulation and preservation policies, particularly its efforts
to increase homeownership and to ensure that more state residents have access to health
insurance. 176
A.

POVERTY AND ASSET ACCUMULATION NEEDS

Poverty Statistics

Between 2001 and 2003, approximately 11.7% of Oregon’s population lived at or
below the poverty level. This percentage is slightly lower than the U.S. average, 12.1%.
Using a three year average for 2001-2003, Oregon had the 21st-highest percentage of
residents at or below the poverty level in the U.S. Additionally, between 2001 and
2003, an average of 14.8% of Oregon residents lacked health insurance, compared to
15.1% of the U.S. population. Using a three year average for 2001-2003, Oregon had
the 19th-highest percentage of residents with no health insurance coverage. 177
Poverty rates in Oregon vary widely between counties: six counties in the state have
poverty rates of 15% or higher (Coos, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, and Wheeler)
and six counties have poverty rates of less than 10% (Clackamas, Columbia, Deshutes,
Gillian, Washington, and Yamhill). 178 Of the counties with the highest poverty rates, all
but one is located near the southern or southwest edge of the state, and of the counties
with the lowest poverty rates, all but one is located in the northern or northwest edge of
the state. The table on the following page provides poverty rates by county as of 1999.
If low-income individuals are defined as those living below 200% of the Federal Poverty
Level (FPL), estimates by the Urban Institute and Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and
the Uninsured suggest that 35% of Oregon’s population would have qualified as low
income during 2002-2003. 179
173

U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2003, pp.
23, 68.
174
CFED, SADRC, p. 68.
175
OHCS, Report on Poverty 2004, http://egov.oregon.gov/OHCS/DO_PovertyReport.shtml, pp. 31, 52-53.
176
CFED, SADRC, p. 68.
177
U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2003, pp.
23, 25, 68-69.
178
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
179
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Distribution of Total Population by Federal Poverty Level, State
Data 2002-2003, U.S. 2003, http://www.statehealthfacts.kff.org.

Poverty Levels by County in Oregon During 1999
County

% of Individuals

Baker County
14.7%
Benton County
14.6%
Clackamas County
6.6%
Clatsop County
13.2%
Columbia County
9.1%
Coos County
15.0%
Crook County
11.3%
Curry County
12.2%
Deschutes County
9.3%
Douglas County
13.1%
Gilliam County
9.1%
Grant County
13.7%
Harney County
11.8%
Hood River County
14.2%
Jackson County
12.5%
Jefferson County
14.6%
Josephine County
15.0%
Klamath County
16.8%
Lake County
16.1%
Lane County
14.4%
Lincoln County
13.9%
Linn County
11.4%
Malheur County
18.6%
Marion County
13.5%
Morrow County
14.8%
Multnomah County
12.7%
Polk County
11.5%
Sherman County
14.6%
Tillamook County
11.4%
Umatilla County
12.7%
Union County
13.8%
Wallowa County
14.0%
Wasco County
12.9%
Washington County
7.4%
Wheeler County
15.6%
Yamhill County
9.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.

% of Families
10.1%
6.8%
4.6%
9.1%
6.7%
11.1%
8.1%
9.7%
6.3%
9.6%
6.7%
11.2%
8.6%
9.8%
8.9%
10.4%
11.3%
12.0%
13.4%
9.0%
9.8%
8.9%
14.6%
9.6%
11.3%
8.2%
6.3%
12.3%
8.1%
9.8%
8.5%
9.8%
10.3%
4.9%
12.7%
6.0%

2. Personal Bankruptcy Filings
On measures of personal bankruptcy, Oregon ranks worse than average nationally.
For the 12-month period ended March 31st 2004, the state’s personal bankruptcy rate was
16.9 filings per thousand households, compared to a national average rate of 13.7 filings

per thousand households. During this time period, Oregon had the 13th-highest rate of
filings. 180
3.

CFED Asset Outcome Ranking

In CFED’s State Asset Development Report Card, Oregon ranked extremely high in
asset outcomes, receiving a grade of “A” and a rank of third overall in the U.S.
While CFED looked at a variety of data in reaching its “A” grade for Oregon, including
the homeownership and small business indicators detailed in the previous chapters, the
state’s high rank is primarily driven by its strong performance on human capital
development measures. Solid performance on financial assets measures by the state
also bolstered its asset outcome grade, as detailed below. 181
a.

CFED’s Net Worth and Asset Poverty Statistics

Oregon generally ranks average to above average on measures of net worth and asset
poverty. Oregon’s asset poverty level—the percentage of the population without
sufficient net worth to subsist at the poverty level for three months without other support,
which in the state is 22%—gives it a ranking of 24th best in the nation. In contrast
however, Oregon ranks relatively well, at 12th best, on the proportion of households
in the state with zero net worth. Relative to most other states, this means that Oregon
has a somewhat lower share of vulnerable households. Additionally, Oregon ranks
very high, at seventh, on the measure of mean net worth, with a mean household net
worth of $139,706. Oregon also fares well when the gaps in asset poverty and asset
inequality between male- and female– headed households are compared 182 —the state has
the fourth-smallest asset poverty gap and the 10th-smallest asset inequality gap
between male- and female- headed households. 183
b.

CFED’s Human Capital and Insurance-Related Statistics

As mentioned above, Oregon’s performance on human capital-related measures is
generally strong. Oregon ranks 14th among the states on its college attainment rate,
with 27% of household heads in the state having attended at least four years of college.
Oregon also ranks 26th on attainment of associate’s degrees, with 7% of its population
having received such degrees. Oregon fares extremely well on measures of equality in
college attainment by race, income, and gender. The state is ranked best in the nation
in terms of the gap by race, fourth in terms of the gap by income, and 18th by
gender. However, Oregon ranks only 23rd best in the percentage of children in poverty
that are served by a Head Start program. 184

180

American Bankruptcy Institute, Households Per Filing, Rank During the 12 Month Period Ended March
31, 2004. http://www.abiworld.org/statcharts/HouseRank.htm.
181
CFED, SADRC, p. 68.
182
Data on asset poverty and asset inequality by race is not available for Oregon.
183
CFED, SADRC, pp. 85, 88, 91.
184
Ibid, pp. 99-105.

Oregon receives relatively average rankings on insurance-related comparatives.
The state is ranked 26th best in the percentage of non-elderly covered by employer-based
health plans, 30th best in the percentage of low-income children without health insurance,
and 17th best in the percentage of low-income parents without health insurance. 185
4.

Oregon Housing and Community Services Report on Poverty 2004

In 2004, Oregon Housing and Community Services released its first biennial Report on
Poverty, intended to provide a new source of local, state, and national data about
the problem of poverty and to explore how policy changes, economic shifts, and social
trends affect people living in poverty.
The study reports that, based on information released by the Census Bureau in August
2004, median income in Oregon was actually lower in 2003 than it was in 1999,
consistent with trends observed by other sources, including the Oregon Employment
Department, the Oregon Department of Revenue, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis,
that income growth in Oregon was slowing. At the same time, costs in Oregon were
rising, with Oregon families experiencing a minimum increase of 9% in food costs, 15%
in transportation costs, and 9% in housing costs between 1999 and 2004.
As of 1999, poverty rates in Oregon were higher among families with children than
among other types of households, particularly in households headed by single mothers
with younger children, nearly 50% of which lived in poverty. By age group, poverty
rates were highest for children age five and younger, and lowest for people age 65
and older, although the poverty rate among seniors increased between 1979 and 1999.
By race, Blacks, American Indians, and people who indicated “some other race” on the
Census and residents of Hispanic/Latino origin experienced disproportionately high rates
of poverty, although all racial groups in Oregon experienced improvements in
poverty rates between 1989 and 1999. 186
5.

The Asset Development Institute’s Asset Index

In September 2002, the Asset Development Institute at Brandeis University published a
report entitled The Asset Index: Measuring The Progress Of States In Promoting
Economic Security And Opportunity. The report presents state-by-state data on
individual outcomes for job-based and related income assets, human capital, and financial
assets. These outcomes are the primary indicators of the economic security people have
and the opportunity they enjoy. For each of these three categories, the report presents a
cluster of indicators that point to important related asset-based outcomes and provides the
numerical outcome for residents on each indicator as well as a national rank on each
indicator (for all indicators, 1st is “best” and 50th is “worst”).
For Oregon, the research indicates that the state ranks among the top 10 best states for
four of the 39 measured indicators, but ranks among the worst 10 states on seven of
185
186

Ibid, pp. 117-119.
OHCS, Report on Poverty 2004, pp. 77–81.

the indicators, representing nearly one fifth of indicators. The state’s best rankings are
in the areas of literacy and asset inequality, while its worst rankings are in the areas
of involuntary part-time work, housing insecurity, and education (dropping out of
high school). The study’s authors conclude that “residents of Oregon, compared to those
of other states, have had relatively much less success in gaining job-based and related
income assets, mixed success in building human capital, and more in accumulating
financial assets.” 187
B.

POVERTY AND ASSET ACCUMULATION RESOURCES

State Income Support Programs

Low-income individuals and families in Oregon are served primarily by the Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program and the state’s welfare to work
program, known as JOBS. Over the past few years, Oregon’s TANF caseload has not
shown a clear upward or downward trend. In December 2001, 17,838 families were
receiving assistance. From that time, levels increased through December 2002, then
decreased through December 2003, and rose again to 18,932 in August 2004. In total,
between December 2001 and August 2004, the TANF caseload increased by
approximately 6%. 188
One innovative aspect of Oregon’s TANF program is its requirement that employers of
welfare-to-work clients in Oregon’s JOBS Plus program deposit $1 for every hour
worked into an Individual Education Account (IEA). These funds can be accessed by the
participant or any immediate family member of the participant for educational expenses,
including tuition, books, fees, and supplies, for up to five years after the JOBS Plus
employment requirement has been completed. 189
2.

Oregon Department of Human Services

The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) provides nearly 200 programs
that address the causes or effects of poverty in Oregon. Services provided through
DHS (in addition to the income support programs described above) include mental health
and addiction services, food stamps, employment-related day care, a food stamp
employment and training program, Job Opportunity and Basic Skills (JOBS), services

187

The Asset Development Institute, The Asset Index: Measuring The Progress Of States In Promoting
Economic Security And Opportunity, September 2002,
http://www.centeronhunger.org/pdf/ASSETINDEX.pdf, pp. 90-91.
188
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Change in
Numbers of TANF Families and Recipients from December 2002 to 2003,
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/TANF_data.htm; and Total Number of Families and Recipients for 1st Quarter FY
2002, http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/news/stats/tanf.htm; and National Conference of State Legislatures, Welfare
Caseload Watch, October 2004, http://www.ncsl.org/statefed/welfare/caseloadwatch1004.htm.
189
Welfare Information Network, Resources for Welfare Decisions Newsletter, April 2002,
http://www.financeprojectinfo.org/Publications/encouragingassetdevelopmentRN.htm.

tailored to the needs of TANF clients, medical assistance, prevention services, and
domestic violence-related services. 190
3.

IDAs in Oregon

As of December 2004, there were eight programs in Oregon offering IDAs, of which
one, Valley Individual Accounts, is a 15-member collaborative operated by CASA of
Oregon. 191 Oregon's state IDA program has been praised as one of the more
innovative in the country. The program is available to all Oregonians whose income is
less than 80% of the surrounding community median. Deposits are matched on a ratio
between 1:1 and 5:1 (at the discretion of the funding organization), and matched monies
cannot exceed more than $2,000 each year or $20,000 total. Unlike many other states,
Oregon allows for emergency withdrawals that are unrelated to homes, education, or
business ventures. The funds withdrawn for these other purposes, however, must be
returned within 12 months. 192
4.

CFED’s Asset Policy Rankings

In concert with Oregon’s “A” grade for asset outcomes, CFED also gives the state an
overall grade of “A” for asset policies, ranking it 10th in the U.S. In assigning a top
grade to Oregon’s asset policies, CFED noted in particular the state’s efforts to improve
its homeownership rates and its strong performance on health insurance-related policy
measures. 193
a. IDA Policy
CFED credits Oregon with providing both a state IDA program and an IDA program
within the state TANF plan. However, Oregon’s financial appropriations for IDAs fall
well short of the $1 million mark that CFED uses as its third measure of a strong state
IDA policy. 194
b. Other CFED Financial Asset Building Policy Rankings
In other financial asset building policies, Oregon receives credit for having a state
minimum wage higher than that mandated by the federal government. In the area of
public assistance, the state receives mixed ratings. Oregon is praised for excluding the
value of all vehicles in determining the countable asset limit for food stamps and for
having a countable asset limit for TANF recipients greater than or equal to $10,000.
However, the state is criticized for not excluding the value of at least one vehicle from
190

OHCS, Report on Poverty 2004, pp. 64-66.
CFED, IDAnetwork, Oregon Institutions Supporting IDAs,
http://idanetwork.cfed.org/index.php?section=state&page=financial.php&state=OR.
192
New Democrats Online, Individual Development Accounts: Model Initiatives, April 2004,
http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=139&subid=277&contentid=3608.
193
CFED, SADRC, p. 68.
194
Ibid, p. 121.
191

the vehicle asset limit under TANF and for maintaining an asset test for Medicaid
recipients. 195
c. CFED’s Human Capital Development Policy Rankings
Oregon’s rankings in the CFED report for its human capital development policies are
mixed. Most positively, the state is ranked 15th in per-pupil expenditures for K-12
education. Oregon also provides state funding for pre-kindergarten. However, it ranks
in the middle of the nation in school spending equalization and in need-based aid to
undergraduates (28th in both), and only 45th in funding for customized job training.
Oregon, along with 35 other states, does not provide supplemental funding for Head Start
programs. 196
d. CFED’s Wage Protection Policy Rankings
Oregon’s wage protection policies are not particularly strong. The state ranks below
average in workers’ compensation-related areas, ranking 31st in the nation in its
workers’ compensation coverage and 35th in its workers’ compensation benefits. On
a slightly more positive note, Oregon is ranked 19th in its unemployment insurance
benefit level, although it has made only one of three reforms made by other states to its
unemployment insurance scheme (eliminating the restriction on part-time work). Finally,
the state has enacted none of four family leave benefits provided in other states that
CFED describes in its report. 197
e. CFED’s Health Insurance Policy Rankings
CFED credits Oregon with having sound health insurance policies. The state ranks
15th best in its eligibility level for publicly provided health insurance. It has also
expanded Medicaid for low-income adults without children, and has a state subsidy for
small business health care coverage. The one measure on which CFED criticizes Oregon
is the state’s policy of only providing transitional medical assistance for 12 months.198
f. CFED’s Property Protection Policy
Within the property protection policy arena, CFED finds absent in Oregon both of the
policies it included as measures of state success in this area: a) anti-predatory lending
legislation; and b) a state disclosure requirement for property insurers to guard against
redlining. 199

195

Ibid, pp. 125-127.
Ibid, pp. 135-140.
197
Ibid, pp. 154-160.
198
Ibid, pp. 162-165.
199
Ibid, pp. 167, 169.
196

VIII. NATIVE AMERICANS AND IMMIGRANTS
Oregon has the 11th highest proportion in the nation of Native American residents
in its population. Despite active participation in the gaming industry by all nine of
Oregon’s federally-recognized tribes, 200 the state’s Native Americans continue to face
higher-than-average poverty rates. Oregon’s state government is attempting to address
tribal concerns by requiring each Cabinet-level department to enter into a contract that
formally recognizes the interests of Native Americans and provides processes for
ensuring tribal concerns are addressed. 201
Approximately 9% of Oregon’s population is foreign born, the 16th-highest proportion
among the states. The largest group of foreign-born in Oregon hails from Latin America,
although sizable proportions also come from Asia and Europe. Twenty percent of
Oregon’s immigrants live below the poverty level, nearly double the overall poverty rate
for the state. 202 Oregon does provide more generous TANF benefits to legal
immigrants than many states, but additional resources are required to meet the
needs of this population. 203
A.

NATIVE AMERICAN NEEDS

Statistics on Native Americans

Oregon’s Native American population numbered 45,211 as of 2000, ranking the state
16th-largest overall by size of Native American population. 204 Native Americans
comprise 1.3% of Oregon’s total population, the 11th-highest proportion of Native
Americans in the U.S. 205 The state has nine federally-recognized tribes: the Burns
Paiute Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, the
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz, the
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian
Reservation, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians, the Klamath Tribe, and the
Coquille Tribe. However, many Native Americans in Oregon are members of tribes
located in other states, so the total enrolled membership in Oregon’s tribes was only
22,441 as of July 2004. A growing number of Oregon’s Native American population
lives in urban areas, while the remainder lives in non-metropolitan areas, either on or off
tribal reservations. 206 As the table on the following page shows, Native Americans are
geographically dispersed throughout the state.

200

Oregon Blue Book, Indian Tribes in Oregon, http://bluebook.state.or.us/national/tribal/tribal.htm.
Ibid.
202
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
203
Oregon Center for Public Policy, Improving the TANF Program for Legal Immigrants – Executive
Summary, February 2002, http://www.ocpp.org/2002/rpt020213.pdf.
204
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
205
Ibid.
206
Oregon Blue Book, Indian Tribes in Oregon.
201

Geographic Distribution of Oregon’s Native American Population
Native American (only) %
County
of Population
Baker County
1.1%
Benton County
0.8%
Clackamas County
0.7%
Clatsop County
1.0%
Columbia County
1.3%
Coos County
2.4%
Crook County
1.3%
Curry County
2.1%
Deschutes County
0.8%
Douglas County
1.5%
Gilliam County
0.8%
Grant County
1.6%
Harney County
4.0%
Hood River County
1.1%
Jackson County
1.1%
Jefferson County
15.7%
Josephine County
1.3%
Klamath County
4.2%
Lake County
2.4%
Lane County
1.1%
Lincoln County
3.1%
Linn County
1.3%
Malheur County
1.0%
Marion County
1.4%
Morrow County
1.4%
Multnomah County
1.0%
Polk County
1.8%
Sherman County
1.4%
Tillamook County
1.2%
Umatilla County
3.4%
Union County
0.8%
Wallowa County
0.7%
Wasco County
3.8%
Washington County
0.7%
Wheeler County
0.8%
Yamhill County
1.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.

Approximate Native
American Population
184
625
2369
356
566
1,507
249
444
923
1,506
15
127
304
225
1,994
2,984
984
2,679
178
3,553
1,379
1,340
316
3,988
154
6,605
1,123
27
291
2,399
196
51
904
3,117
12
1,275

Poverty and Economic Opportunities for Tribes

Tribes throughout Oregon are involved in a variety of economic activities, including
gaming and tourism. All nine federally-recognized tribes in Oregon currently have
gaming facilities that provide them with employment opportunities and revenues for
health clinics, education scholarships, housing, and other services. 207
207

Ibid.

However, poverty statistics for Native Americans in Oregon indicate that these activities
have not been enough to adequately support most tribes. Native Americans in the state
exhibit higher-than-average poverty levels—the median household income for Native
Americans was $30,735 in 1999, with 17.7% of families and 22.2% of individuals below
the poverty level. In comparison, the median household income for all households in
Oregon was $40,916, and 7.9% of families and 11.6% of individuals in the state were
below the poverty level in 1999. 208 Native Americans are also more likely to live in
substandard housing—8.8% of Native American households are overcrowded and 5.2%
have no phone, compared to 4.8% and 1.6%, respectively, of all Oregon households.
B.

NATIVE AMERICAN RESOURCES

Legislative Commission on Indian Services

The Legislative Commission on Indian Services has the primary responsibility for
issues related to Native Americans in Oregon. The Commission was created to provide a
single point of contact for the consideration of Indian needs and concerns and to serve as
a reference point for finding out about state programs and policies. The Commission is
composed of a member from each of Oregon’s federally-recognized Indian tribes, one
state senator, and one state representative. On a semi-regular basis, the Commission
publishes the Oregon Directory of American Indian Resources, a resource guide that
provides information about and for Oregon's Indian population. 209
2.

Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians

Most Oregon tribes are members of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI),
an organization focused on providing regional leadership and advocacy for
Northwest Tribal interests. The membership of the organization consists of delegates
from 52 tribes within the Northwest region who meet in several working sessions each
year to set priorities for the group on policy-related issues. ATNI provides a forum for
setting policy goals, research and data for member tribes, and public relations and
education for non-Indian communities in its region, among other services. 210 ATNI also
has an economic development subsidiary, the ATNI Economic Development
Corporation, which aims to provide opportunities for investing Tribal and corporate
resources in profitable and sustainable future projects. Its current priorities are the
development of a Revolving Loan Fund, Tribal administrative capacity building,
telecommunications and information technology, and Tribal energy and utility
development. 211

208

U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
Legislative Commission on Indian Services, About the Commission, http://www.leg.state.or.us/cis/.
210
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Introduction, http://www.atnitribes.org/about.html.
211
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians-Economic Development Corporation, Programs,
http://www.atniedc.com/programs/index.htm.
209

ONABEN

In 1993, the Oregon Native American Business and Entrepreneurial Network (ONABEN)
was formed as a nonprofit, public benefit (501(c)3) corporation. ONABEN was
conceived when four tribes located within the State of Oregon acknowledged that tribal
governments needed to become actively engaged in encouraging individual enterprise if a
private sector was going to flourish within Indian Country. Since the establishment of
ONABEN, tribes in Washington, Idaho, and Northern California have joined in a
regional partnership to provide ONABEN programs in their area.
The core of the ONABEN program is the development and distribution of business
training curriculum that is culturally congruent and tailored to the local situation.
ONABEN has adapted the best practices of the small business development industry,
formed partnerships with local, state, federal, and private institutions, and delivered
quality business development programs in rural and urban areas across the Northwest.
Services provided by ONABEN include business technical training classes, a Women’s
Business Center (officially sponsored by the SBA), an intensive training program for
artists, counseling, business management classes, assisted access to capital, and access to
markets through a Business Directory, website, and through tribal-sponsored Business
Service Centers. 212
During FY 2002 and 2003, ONABEN served approximately 1,600 individuals through a
variety of trainings, technical assistance counseling, networking activities, and computer
lab resources and served 700 individuals with classroom trainings. During the same time
period, ONABEN centers and contractors provided 1800 hours of business counseling
and technical assistance, which resulted in ONABEN clients creating 94 business plans.
Of those 94 plans, 47 produced a business start. In addition, in partnership with the
Union Bank of California, ONABEN provided $45,000 in capital access to nine business
owners. 213
4.

HUD’s Section 184 Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Program

Several Oregon tribes are active participants in HUD’s Section 184 Indian Housing
Loan Guarantee program, which provides loan guarantees for home ownership,
property rehabilitation, and new construction opportunities for eligible tribes and
members seeking to own a home on their native lands. The program primarily serves
higher-income families, and allows for private finance mortgages. In order to participate
in the mortgage process, tribes must adopt codes and ordinances that incorporate
foreclosure, land lease agreements, and eviction through tribal courts. HUD lists five
Oregon tribes as eligible participants and 11 participating lenders in Oregon as of

212

ONABEN, Program Overview,
http://www.onaben.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=6.
213
ONABEN, Biennial Report 2002-2003, http://www.onaben.org/images/BiennialReport2002-2003.pdf,
p. 21.

November 2004. As of December 2004, Oregon had the sixth highest number of Section
184 loans, 72, with a total dollar value of $5.3 million. 214
C.

IMMIGRANT NEEDS

Immigrant Totals

According to Census 2000 data, 8.5% of Oregon’s population is foreign born, which
translates into 289,702 foreign-born residents. This population represents a 108%
increase over the 1990 foreign-born population of 139,307. Oregon ranks 20thhighest nationally in the number of foreign-born residents and 16th-highest
nationally in the proportion of foreign-born residents in its population. Fifty percent
of Oregon’s foreign-born residents entered the U.S. between 1990 and 2000, and 33.6%
are naturalized citizens, compared to 40.3% of the total foreign-born population in the
U.S. 215
INS also estimates that Oregon had 90,000 illegal immigrants within state borders as
of 2000, more than three times the number INS estimated were in the state in 1990. 216
Oregon also accepts the 11th-largest number of refugees in the U.S. annually, totaling
approximately 1,700 new refugees each year. 217
2.

Origin of Immigrants

The largest proportion of foreign-born residents was born in Latin America
(44.6%), with the next largest groups coming from Asia (27.3%) and Europe (18.8%). 218
By country, 39% percent of foreign born were born in Mexico, with the next largest
groups born in Canada (5.9%) and Vietnam (5.7%).
Oregon’s foreign born reported their race on the 2000 Census as follows: 41.4% white,
1.5% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian/Alaska Native, 23.1% Asian,
0.8% Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 27.6% some other race, and 5.0% two or
more races. Hispanic or Latino origin was reported by 43.6% of Oregon’s foreign born,
compared to 45.5% of foreign-born residents nationally.
Eighty percent of Oregon’s foreign born residents report speaking a language other than
English at home and of this 80%, 38.2% report speaking English “not well” or “not at
all.” The most popular languages spoken in homes that speak another language are

214

HUD Office of Native American Programs, Section 184 Loans Across the Nation,
http://www.codetalk.fed.us/OLG_184_stats.htm.
215
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.
216
U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Office of Policy Planning, Estimates of the Unauthorized
Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: 1990-2000, January 2003,
http://uscis.gov/graphics/shared/aboutus/statistics/Ill_Report_1211.pdf, p. 8.
217
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, Facts and FAQs,
http://www.irco.org/IRCO/IRCOFAQs.asp#IFQ5.
218
U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Data.

Spanish (41.5%), other Indo-European languages (16.3%), and Asian and Pacific Island
languages (20.0%). 219
3.

Poverty Levels Among Immigrants

According to Census 2000 figures, 19.9% of Oregon’s foreign-born population has
incomes that put them below the poverty level, above (worse than) the national
average. Among non-citizens, this figure rises to 24.9% (compared to only 10.1% of
foreign-born citizens in Oregon). 220 In addition, an analysis by the Oregon Center for
Public Policy found that 20% of immigrant-headed households have trouble providing
enough food for their families and that approximately 18% of Oregon children who live
under 150% of poverty either are not citizens themselves or live with relatives who are
non-citizens. 221
D.

IMMIGRANT RESOURCES

TANF Program

After the passage of the 1996 welfare reforms that denied legal immigrants access to
most forms of public assistance, Oregon became one of 21 states using state money to
provide benefits to all recent legal immigrants under a waiver to federal laws. While
the state does not track the citizenship status of individuals receiving public assistance, it
does track the number of persons receiving benefits that require service in another
language. State estimates show that approximately 9% of Oregon’s TANF caseload
in August 2001 (1,440 cases), required service in another language. Immigrant TANF
recipients in the state are also eligible to receive English-language training and other jobsearch related services, although these services are not uniformly available in all areas of
the state.
While Oregon does provide more assistance to legal immigrants than many states, a 2002
paper by the Oregon Center for Public Policy recommended that the state institute
additional measures to be sure that it is helping the intended population. These measures
include revising rules related to job search requirements in order to enable immigrants to
improve their English proficiency before accepting a job, establishing a statewide policy
on English training, and collecting more data on TANF recipients lacking fluency in
English. 222
2.

The Refugee Program and Refugee Case Services Program

Through the Refugee Program, DHS provides social services, including cash
assistance, case services, medical services, and employment services, to refugees who
219

Ibid.
Ibid.
221
Oregon Center for Public Policy, Improving the TANF Program for Legal Immigrants – Executive
Summary.
222
Ibid.
220

do not qualify for other DHS programs during their first eight months of residence in
Oregon. The program also provides up to sixty months of employment and employmentrelated services to refugees who continue to experience difficulties getting acculturated to
Oregon. The Refugee Program is funded by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement
(ORR).
The other refugee services program sponsored by DHS is the Refugee Case Services
Program (RCSP), which provides cash assistance to most refugees arriving in the
Portland Metro area. English language and vocational training and job placement
services are provided by the New Arrival Employment Service project at the Immigrant
and Refugee Community Organization (discussed below). The cash assistance portion of
the program is administered through voluntary agencies in the Portland area, and eligible
refugees participating in RCSP receive food stamps and refugee medical services from a
special Community Health Service refugee unit located in the Northeast Portland
branch. 223
3.

Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)

IRCO provides resettlement services and assistance to refugees and immigrants in
Oregon and Southwest Washington. Services available through IRCO include the Asian
Family Center, the International Language Bank, youth and family services, employment
programs, community education, health and environmental outreach services, and the arts
for new immigrants program. 224
4.

Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees (SOAR)

SOAR is sponsored by the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and assists newly arrived
refugees in Oregon by providing resettlement services, case management, advocacy,
immigration and asylum counseling, and legal services. In 1998, the organization
resettled 969 refugees in Oregon. 225
5.

CASA of Oregon

Community and Shelter Assistance Corporation (CASA) is a statewide nonprofit
organization that constructs, rehabilitates, and manages housing and related facilities for
farmworkers and their families throughout Oregon. CASA provides a full range of
development services for migrant, seasonal, and year-round rental housing and
homeownership opportunities. CASA also provides construction management services to
organizations that serve farmworkers such as clinics, community organizations, and
community action programs. 226
223

Oregon Department of Human Services, Refugee Program Intent and Overview, January 2004,
http://dhsmanuals.hr.state.or.us/EligManual/05RF-A.htm.
224
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, About Us, http://www.irco.org/IRCO/AboutUs.asp.
225
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees (SOAR),
http://www.emoregon.org/SOAR.htm.
226
Community and Shelter Assistance Corporation of Oregon, Who We Are,
http://casaoforegon.org/who.html.