HBA’s Leading Advocacy to Expand Portland’s HOLTE Program

HBA is leading a coalition of business and non-profit partners in expanding the City of Portland and Multnomah County’s joint workforce housing property tax exemption program. In its current form, there is an annual 100-unit cap on the Home Ownership Limited Tax Exemption (HOLTE) program, which provides a 10-year property tax exemption on structural improvements for newly built homes that are sold at $455,000 or below to a buyer earning 100% AMI. In conjunction with the city’s SDC waiver program, this exemption is designed as an innovative development incentive for newly allowed middle housing while also reducing the barriers to affordable homeownership.

In collaboration with Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors, Portland Business Alliance, Habitat for Humanity, Proud Ground, Portland Housing Center, and Oregon SmartGrowth, the HBA is requesting that the county and city move jointly to eliminate the cap on the number of units that can qualify for this program. If successfully, this small change would help increase housing supply in Portland and expand access to homeownership for working families. Click here to view HBA testimony supporting Portland’s HOLTE program. If you would like to support this advocacy effort, please reach out to HBA’s Government Affairs team.