Common Sense Institute Oregon
https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/oregon/
Common Sense Institute Oregon#
Common Sense Institute (CSI) Oregon is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization focused on economic policy in the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon chapter launched in January 2024 as an expansion of the Colorado-based Common Sense Institute, which was founded in 2010.1
CSI Oregon’s housing research has focused on barriers to housing production, including construction defect liability laws, migration trends driven by affordability, and the gap between housing supply and demand. Its work is led by Vice President of Policy & Research Mark McMullen, Oregon’s former State Economist.2
Policy Positions#
- Housing supply: Argues Oregon is a “housing development laggard” despite being a “trailblazer in zoning reforms,” and that the state should surpass 36,000 new homes per year to address the shortage.3
- Construction defect liability reform: Supports reducing barriers to condominium and attached housing construction, citing a 92% decline in condo production since 2006 linked to Oregon’s restrictive liability laws.4
- Market-driven solutions: Advocates that “with the right market incentives, private sector developers will respond by increasing supply where needed,” while acknowledging state policy faces headwinds from interest rates and cautious lending.3
- Affordability and migration: Ties Oregon’s net population loss to housing costs, documenting that residents are moving to lower-cost states.5
Key Legislative Involvement#
- HB 3746 (2025): Submitted research on construction defect liability as testimony in a neutral position before the House Housing Committee (March 2025) and Senate Housing & Development Committee (May 2025). The testimony drew on CSI Oregon’s October 2024 report recommending reforms to the statute of repose and construction quality standards.46
Key Publications#
- Oregon Housing Competitiveness Index (April 2024): Found that hours of work needed to pay a monthly mortgage in Oregon increased from 47 in 2011 to 92 in 2023, a 96% increase.7
- Oregon’s Construction Defect Liability Laws (October 2024): Documented the decline in condominium construction and proposed reforms including reducing the statute of repose from 10 to 6 years.4
- Domestic Migration Data 2023 (October 2024): Showed Oregon’s net migration ranking fell from 24th in 2021 to 45th in 2023, with more residents leaving than arriving.5
- Oregon’s Housing Shortage (June 2025): Examined the housing gap driven by aging homeowners, slow construction, and rising demand from younger households.3
-
The Center Square: Colorado’s Common Sense Institute expanding to Oregon (January 2024) ↩︎
-
Common Sense Institute Oregon: Oregon’s Housing Shortage: Demographic Gaps and Policy Solutions (June 2025) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
-
Common Sense Institute Oregon: Oregon’s Construction Defect Liability Laws: A Barrier to Homeownership? (October 2024) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
-
Common Sense Institute Oregon: Domestic Migration Data 2023 (October 2024) ↩︎ ↩︎
-
Common Sense Institute Oregon: Oregon Housing Competitiveness Index (April 2024) ↩︎
News Coverage
No news coverage found for this organization.
Legislative Testimony
2025
2 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 3746 Reduces the statute of limitations for construction defect actions by a planned community or condominium. |
Mark McMullen | Neutral | 2025-05-02 |
| HB 3746 Reduces the statute of limitations for construction defect actions by a planned community or condominium. |
Mark McMullen | Neutral | 2025-03-11 |