Multi-Family Housing (MFH) Programs in Oregon

Multi-Family Housing Programs offer Rural Rental Housing Loans to provide affordable multi-family rental housing for very low, low, and moderate income families; the elderly; and persons with disabilities. This is primarily a direct mortgage program, but funds may also be used to buy and improve land and to provide necessary facilities such as water and waste disposal systems. In addition, deep subsidy rental assistance is available to eligible families.

On This Page:

Oregon Highlights and Success Stories

Farmworker Housing in Forest Grove, Oregon, Success Story

Partnership Effort Upgrades, Preserves Five Affordable Rural Housing Complexes for Seniors and Families

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Program List

• Direct Rural Rental Housing Loans (Section 515):  Section 515 Direct Rural Rental Housing Loans assist in the development of affordable rental housing for families and individuals, including persons age 62 or over and/or disabled persons, in rural communities. Developers of affordable rental housing are encouraged to apply for special interest rate loans with or without project based subsidy or rental assistance to develop housing complexes in eligible rural areas. The housing is for families and individuals with very low, low or moderate incomes. Tenants pay rent in an amount that depends on the project type, whether utilities are included in the rent, the tenant income, and the availability of rental subsidy or Rental Assistance. Rental Assistance is the portion of approved shelter cost (rent and utilities) paid by USDA Rural Development to the borrower on behalf of very lowand/or lowncome tenants to compensate for the difference between the approved shelter cost and the monthly net tenant contribution.

• Multi-Family Housing Guaranteed Loans (Section 538):  The Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing program is designed to increase the supply of affordable multi-family housing through partnerships between Rural Development and major lending sources, as well as state and local housing finance agencies and bond issuers. Any federal, state and conventional sources can be used in conjunction with the loan guarantee, including Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) grant funds, tax exempt bonds, and low income housing tax credits.
  
  Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for new construction or acquisition of existing structures with eligible, per-unit rehabilitation expenditure requirements and unit size. Also eligible is the revitalization, repair and transfer of existing direct Section 515 housing, and properties involved in the Agency Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization program (MPR). Guarantees on permanent financing or a guarantee on construction advances when the lender agrees to finance the permanent loan is possible with or without the assistance of interest credit. Rural Development may guarantee such loans upon presentation and review of appropriate certifications, project information, and satisfactory completion of the appropriate level of environmental review by Rural Development.
  
  The program is designed to provide borrowers with competitive fixed-rate loans using lender forms and quick service to provide housing for low- or moderate-income families or individuals whose incomes at initial occupancy do not exceed 115 percent of the area median income adjusted for family size. Monthly rent for a unit may not exceed 30 percent of 115 percent of adjusted area median income.
  
   
• Farm Labor Housing Loans & Grants:  Farm Labor Housing Loans and Grants provide low cost financing for the development of affordable rental housing for both year-round and migrant omestic farm laborersand their households. These programs may be used to build, improve, or repair farm labor housing and provide related facilities, such as on-site childcare centers. The details of the program are divided in to two categories: On-farm labor housing, where housing is designed for farm workers involved in a specific farming operation, and off-farm labor housing for farm workers regardless of the farm where they work.

• Housing Preservation Grants:  Housing Preservation Grants provide qualified public nonprofit organizations, tribal organizations and public agencies funding to conduct housing preservation programs benefiting very low- and low-income rural residents. Housing preservation assistance is available to repair or rehabilitate individual housing, rental properties or co-ops owned and/or occupied by income eligible rural persons. Financial assistance provided by grantees may include loans, grants, interest reduction payments or other comparable assistance.

• Rental Assistance Program:  The Rural Rental Assistance (RA) program provides an additional source of support for households with incomes too low to pay the HCFP subsidized (basic) rent from their own resources.
  
   

MFH Fact Sheets and Information

• Oregon Housing Programs Matrix (PDF, 52 KB)
• Oregon Rural Development Housing Programs Information Guide (PDF, 3 MB)
• National Rural Development MFH Programs (Web site)

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Oregon State Office Contacts for Multi-Family Housing

State Office Contacts

Main Phone Number: (503) 414-3353
TDD:  (503) 414-3387
Fax:  (503) 414-3383

USDA Rural Development
Attn: Multi-Family Housing
1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Ste. 801
Portland, OR 97232-1274

Rod Hansen, Oregon Housing Programs Director
(503) 414-3353
rod.hansen@or.usda.gov

Diana Chappell, MFH Specialist
(503) 414-3351
diana.chappell@or.usda.gov

Janet Darling, MFH Specialist
(503) 414-3328
janet.darling@or.usda.gov

Sherryl Gleason, MFH Specialist
(503) 414-3352
sherryl.gleason@or.usda.gov

Ramona Mitchell, MFH Specialist
(503) 414-3310
ramona.mitchell@or.usda.gov

Patricia Cousins, MFH Technician
(503) 414-3358
patricia.cousins@or.usda.gov

Sophia Nguyen, MFH Assistant
(503) 414-3350
sophia.nguyen@or.usda.gov

Technical Contacts

Claudia Vail-Goss, Construction Analyst
(503) 414-3357
claudia.vail-goss@or.usda.gov

Jeffrey Rapp, Appraiser
(503) 414-3363
jeffrey.rapp@or.usda.gov

Norm Schoen, State Architect, State Civil Rights Coordinator
(503) 414-3364
norm.schoen@or.usda.gov

Tangent Area Office* Contacts for Multi-Family Housing

*Serving Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Linn, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook and Yamhill Counties

All Programs

Bret Dixon, Area Director
(541) 967-5925 Ext. 128
bret.dixon@or.usda.gov

MFH Programs

Ester Salinas, Area Specialist
(541) 967-5925 Ext. 144
ester.salinas@or.usda.gov
 

Pendleton Area Office Contacts for Multi-Family Housing

*Serving Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Hood River, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco and Wheeler Counties

All Programs

Geri Steward, Acting Area Director
(541) 278-8049 ext. 130
tom.demianew@or.usda.gov

MFH Programs

Tina Campbell, Area Technician
(541) 278-8049 ext. 126
tina.campbell@or.usda.gov

Redmond Area Office Contacts for Multi-Family Housing

*Serving Crook, Deschutes, Harney, Jefferson, Marion, Sherman and Washington Counties

All Programs

Geri Steward, Area Director
(541) 923-4358 ext. 102
geri.steward@or.usda.gov

MFH Programs

Preston Hiatt, Area Specialist
(541) 923-4358 ext. 124
preston.hiatt@or.usda.gov

Roseburg Area Office Contacts for Multi-Family Housing

*Serving Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane and Lincoln Counties

All Programs

Bret Dixon, Area Director
(541) 967-5925 Ext. 128
bret.dixon@or.usda.gov

MFH Programs

Jay DeLapp, Area Specialist
(541) 776-4267 ext. 113
jay.delapp@or.usda.gov

Raquel O'Connor, Area Specialist
(541) 673-0136 ext. 112
raquel.oconnor@or.usda.gov

Vacant, Area Technician

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