HB 3506 makes a set of housing-related appropriations and fund transfers centered on seniors and people with disabilities. It transfers $3.15 million from the Senior Property Tax Deferral Revolving Account to the General Fund, appropriates $3 million to the Oregon Health Authority for deposit into the Healthy Homes Repair Fund, and appropriates $150,000 to the Department of Revenue for outreach on property tax deferral and related property tax programs. The bill also requires a report to legislative revenue committees on the outreach spending by September 1, 2026.
The Healthy Homes Repair Fund money is intended to support housing for seniors and individuals with disabilities, including accessibility modifications. The Department of Revenue funds are aimed at increasing awareness of existing property tax programs among eligible individuals and the organizations that serve them, such as senior services agencies, housing and financial counselors, and community organizations. The bill also increases the Oregon Health Authority’s expenditure limitation by $3 million to allow use of the new Healthy Homes Repair Fund deposit.
Impact
HB 3506 changes the flow of state funds rather than creating a new housing regulatory program. It redirects money from the Senior Property Tax Deferral Revolving Account into the General Fund, then uses General Fund appropriations to support home repair and accessibility assistance through the Healthy Homes Repair Fund and to fund outreach on property tax deferral programs. It affects ORS 311.701 by overriding the usual restriction on transferring money from the revolving account, and it affects ORS 431A.402 by increasing resources available for the Healthy Homes Repair Fund. The bill also adjusts the Oregon Health Authority’s expenditure authority for the biennium so the new funds can be spent.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. It moved through committee and floor votes with strong margins, including unanimous or near-unanimous committee recommendations early in the process and 53-0 in the House and 28-2 in the Senate on third reading. The overall tone suggests agreement with the bill’s focus on housing assistance for seniors and people with disabilities, along with support for outreach to help eligible residents access existing property tax programs.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the transfer of $3.15 million out of the Senior Property Tax Deferral Revolving Account to the General Fund, which could raise concerns about using funds originally tied to property tax deferral obligations for broader governmental purposes. Another possible issue is whether the outreach and repair funding are the best use of limited housing-related resources, though the recorded votes show only minimal opposition. The bill’s supporters appear to have emphasized practical assistance for seniors and disabled residents, while any dissent likely centered on fiscal or fund-balance concerns rather than the housing policy goals themselves.