This Thursday, the Wingspan Event and Conference Center is set to house the 2025 Annual Housing Forum, a crucial gathering of Washington County's housing sector leaders, including policy experts, service providers, and local officials. The forum, hosted by the Washington County Department of Housing Services, will tackle the pressing issue of housing within a landscape fraught with uncertainties at the federal level and budget constraints at state and local tiers.
Keynote speaker Representative Pam Marsh, Chair of the Oregon House Committee on Housing and Homelessness, will address the assembly, which, among others, features distinguished panelists such as Andrea Bell of Oregon Housing and Community Services, Ivory Mathews from Home Forward, Nathan Teske of Bienestar, and Maria Caballero Rubio with Centro Cultural de Washington County. Additionally, County Chair Kathryn Harrington plans to unveil the Community CARES Award, recognizing a significant impact on affordable housing provisions, according to a recent news release on the county's website.
In a statement obtained by the Washington County newsroom, Chair Harrington showed anticipation for the collaborations that will emerge, "The Annual Housing Forum is a vital tool for collaboration with housing leaders throughout Oregon to strategize. As our region navigates federal challenges and budget constraints, I am eager to learn from the experts we are gathering." The event's significance is highlighted further by the expected insights and strategies to arise from bringing community leaders together to engage in solution-focused discussions.
The forum coincides with the release of the Department of Housing Services' Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, offering a comprehensive overview of the year's achievements. Housing Services Director Molly Rogers emphasized, "I am thrilled to share the inaugural Annual Report of the Department of Housing Services and the Housing Authority of Washington County at the forum, which tells our story of the incredible accomplishments over the past year." According to the Washington County announcement, the report and the forum underscore a collective effort to strengthen regional housing systems amidst challenging times.
The scope of the Washington County Department of Housing Services is comprehensive, aiming to facilitate pathways out of homelessness, enhance housing stability, and foster the development of affordable communities. Above serving roughly 20,000 individuals a year, the Department also administers rental housing and assistance to more than 7,000 households, thus encapsulating a range of services from street outreach and immediate shelter access to long-term affordable housing support.
