DevNW
DevNW#
DevNW is a nonprofit community development organization based in Eugene, Oregon, focused on affordable housing, financial education, and homeownership services. The organization was formed in 2019 through the merger of Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation (NEDCO) and Willamette Neighborhood Housing Services (WNHS), combining over 60 years of community development experience.1
DevNW builds and manages over 400 units of affordable rental housing across Lane, Benton, and Linn counties, and has built and sold more than 155 homes for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers.2 The organization also operates Community LendingWorks, an affiliated Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides loans to underserved individuals and small businesses.3 DevNW is a member of the NeighborWorks network and a HUD-approved homeownership counseling agency.4
Policy Positions#
- Affordable homeownership investment: Advocates for increased state funding for programs that help Oregonians build stability and equity through homeownership, especially first-time homebuyers and communities historically excluded from ownership.5
- Housing funding: Supports robust state budgets for Oregon Housing and Community Services and increased investment in affordable housing development and preservation.6
- Homeownership development programs: Supports expanding and improving OHCS homeownership development incubator programs to increase affordable homeownership pipelines.7
- Middle housing and land division: Supports policies enabling land division for middle housing to expand homeownership opportunities in Oregon cities.8
- Foreclosure and consumer protections: Advocates for protections for homeowners facing foreclosure, including COVID-19 pandemic-era mortgage relief and surplus recovery from tax-foreclosed properties.9
- Housing lending tax credits: Supports expanding tax credits for affordable housing lending, including credits for loans to homebuyers and for preservation of distressed properties.10
Key Legislative Involvement#
- HB 2258 (2025): Testified in support of preapproved residential building plans to streamline housing production.11
- HB 2698 (2025): Testified in support of establishing a statewide homeownership goal, with multiple rounds of testimony advocating for the policy.12
- HB 3236 (2025): Testified in support of expanding tax credits for affordable housing lending on multiple occasions throughout the session.10
- HB 3090 (2025): Testified in support of directing OHCS to amend its homeownership development incubator program.7
- HB 3414 (2023): Testified in support of Governor Kotek’s housing production bill to streamline local implementation of housing laws and establish the Housing Accountability and Production Office.13
- SB 458 (2021): Testified in support of allowing land division to separate dwelling units for middle housing in Oregon cities.8
- HB 2009 (2021): Testified multiple times in support of COVID-19 pandemic foreclosure protections for Oregon homeowners and renters.9
News Coverage
No news coverage found for this organization.
Legislative Testimony
2026
4 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 4136 Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, a mortgage interest deduction for a residence other than the taxpayer's principal residence, unless the taxpayer sells the residence or actively markets the residence for sale. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2026-02-17 |
| HB 4128 Prohibits covered entities from purchasing, acquiring or offering to purchase or acquire a single-family residence unless the residence has been listed for sale to the general public for at least 90 days. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2026-02-10 |
| SB 1566 Exempts certain projects for public works, primarily related to affordable housing, from the requirement to pay a prevailing rate of wage. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2026-02-10 |
| HB 4036 Establishes the Housing Opportunity, Longevity and Durability Fund to deposit Article XI-Q bonds to be used by the Housing and Community Services Department to preserve affordable housing at risk of loss. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2026-02-03 |
2025
18 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 3970 Modifies the list of persons who may receive services and assistance funded by the Emergency Housing Account. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-06-03 |
| HB 3236 Expands purposes for the corporate excise tax credit allowed for affordable housing lending. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-05-07 |
| HB 3236 Expands purposes for the corporate excise tax credit allowed for affordable housing lending. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-05-06 |
| HB 2698 Establishes a statewide goal for homeownership. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-04-30 |
| SB 829 Requires the Department of Consumer and Business Services to establish a program to assist eligible entities in paying the costs of property insurance or liability insurance premiums for affordable housing, shelters and other facilities. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-03-31 |
| HB 5011 Appropriates moneys from the General Fund to the Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-03-28 |
| HB 3809 Establishes a quarterly allocation of lottery moneys to the Housing and Community Services Department for the individual development account program. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-03-24 |
| HB 2258 Authorizes the Land Conservation and Development Commission to adopt rules requiring local governments to approve certain land use applications for residential developments using building plans preapproved by the Department of Consumer and Business Services. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2025-03-18 |
| HB 3503 Requires the Housing and Community Services Department to disburse moneys to Community LendingWorks to provide grants to purchase housing in Clackamas County that will be made available through a community land trust as affordable housing to first-time home buyers. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-03-04 |
| HB 2138 Expands allowable middle housing and expands middle housing requirements to include urban unincorporated lands. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-03-04 |
| HB 3031 Establishes a program through which the Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority may provide financial assistance for infrastructure to support housing development. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-02-26 |
| HB 3507 Requires the Housing and Community Services Department to amend specified down payment assistance programs to increase eligibility by January 1, 2026. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-02-19 |
| HB 3090 Directs the Housing and Community Services Department to amend its homeownership development incubator program for specified purposes. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-02-18 |
| HB 3079 Requires the Department of Human Services to update its 2022 estimate of costs to implement youth experiencing homelessness programs. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-02-12 |
| HB 3235 Directs the Housing and Community Services Department to give a grant to an organization to support first-time home buyers that purchase residential property to build equity ownership in the residential property through reduced interest rate loans and accelerated loan terms. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-02-12 |
| HB 3235 Directs the Housing and Community Services Department to give a grant to an organization to support first-time home buyers that purchase residential property to build equity ownership in the residential property through reduced interest rate loans and accelerated loan terms. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-02-12 |
| HB 3236 Expands purposes for the corporate excise tax credit allowed for affordable housing lending. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-02-12 |
| HB 2698 Establishes a statewide goal for homeownership. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2025-02-11 |
2024
5 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 4056 Requires counties to establish a process for handling the surplus proceeds from property tax lien foreclosure sales. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2024-03-06 |
| HB 4056 Requires counties to establish a process for handling the surplus proceeds from property tax lien foreclosure sales. |
Emily Reiman | Oppose | 2024-02-16 |
| SB 1530 Appropriates moneys to and modifies expenditure limitations for the Housing and Community Services Department, Oregon Health Authority, Department of Human Services, State Department of Energy, Oregon Business Development Department, Department of Transportation, Water Resources Department and Oregon Department of Administrative Services for various programs. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2024-02-13 |
| SB 1537 Requires the Department of Land Conservation and Development and the Department of Consumer and Business Services to jointly establish and administer the Housing Accountability and Production Office. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2024-02-09 |
| HB 4131 Appropriates moneys from the General Fund to the Housing and Community Services Department for the purpose of making matching deposits into individual development accounts. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2024-02-07 |
2023
17 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HB 3414 Requires local governments to approve certain adjustments to land use regulations for housing development within urban growth boundary. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-06-01 |
| SB 976 Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, mortgage interest deduction for residence other than taxpayer's principal residence, unless taxpayer sells residence or actively markets residence for sale. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-04-19 |
| SB 977 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to study housing. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-28 |
| HB 3414 Requires local governments to approve certain adjustments to land use regulations for housing development within urban growth boundary. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-23 |
| SB 1076 Requires licensed hospitals to include in hospital's discharge policy specified procedures for discharge of homeless patients. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-20 |
| HB 3487 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to report to Legislative Assembly on homeownership disparities by September 15 of each even-numbered year. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-17 |
| HB 3488 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to support homeownership and fair housing. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-17 |
| HB 3492 Directs Housing and Community Services Department by rule to establish and implement pilot program through which department cooperates with qualified lending institutions to provide 100 percent financing for residential property purchases to persons who qualify for special purpose credit programs. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-17 |
| SB 847 Allows affordable housing on lands zoned for commercial uses within urban growth boundaries. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2023-03-17 |
| SB 936 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to provide grants to developers of single-family homes made available for affordable homeownership. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-14 |
| HB 5019 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to specified state agencies for certain purposes related to housing. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-07 |
| SB 937 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to make grant to Network for Oregon Affordable Housing to provide low-interest loans to purchasers of homes with limited equity. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-02 |
| SB 937 Requires Housing and Community Services Department to make grant to Network for Oregon Affordable Housing to provide low-interest loans to purchasers of homes with limited equity. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2023-03-01 |
| SB 5511 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses and for debt service. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-03-01 |
| HB 2982 Requires insurer to offer 70 percent of coverage insured previously purchased for contents of residence to insured who holds policy of personal insurance without requiring inventory of loss if total loss of contents occurs as result of major disaster. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-02-21 |
| HB 2001 Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis in Oregon Department of Administrative Services. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-02-13 |
| HB 2889 Amends Oregon Housing Needs Analysis and land use requirements for local governments related to urbanization. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2023-02-06 |
2021
14 testimonies
| Bill | Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 278 Requires landlords and courts to delay termination of residential tenancies for nonpayment for 60 days if tenant provides documentation of application for rental assistance. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2021-06-15 |
| HB 2009 Establishes temporary limitations on lenders' remedies for borrowers' failures to make payments on obligations secured by mortgages, trust deeds or land sale contracts for certain real property. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2021-05-06 |
| SB 458 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2021-03-30 |
| HB 5011 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Housing and Community Services Department for biennial expenses and for debt service. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2021-03-29 |
| HB 3209 Directs Housing and Community Services Department to make grants to nonprofit organizations, housing authorities or government agencies that sponsor or manage homeownership programs in amounts sufficient to fund services of housing counselor to each eligible grantor that requests resolution conference with beneficiary or contacts department to request services of housing counselor. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2021-03-23 |
| SB 8 Requires local governments to allow development of certain affordable housing on lands not zoned for residential uses. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2021-03-16 |
| HB 2551 Extends and modifies tax credits for donations for individual development accounts. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2021-03-08 |
| HB 2009 Establishes temporary limitations on lenders' remedies for borrowers' failures to make payments on obligations secured by mortgages, trust deeds or land sale contracts for certain real property. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2021-03-04 |
| SB 282 Extends grace period for repayment of residential rent accrued during emergency period of April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, until February 28, 2022. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2021-03-04 |
| HB 2009 Establishes temporary limitations on lenders' remedies for borrowers' failures to make payments on obligations secured by mortgages, trust deeds or land sale contracts for certain real property. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2021-03-03 |
| HB 2009 Establishes temporary limitations on lenders' remedies for borrowers' failures to make payments on obligations secured by mortgages, trust deeds or land sale contracts for certain real property. |
Micole Olivas Leyva | Support | 2021-03-03 |
| HB 2100 Amends Housing and Community Services Department's distribution of Emergency Housing Account funds and administration of federal anti-poverty programs. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2021-03-02 |
| HB 2163 Establishes long-term rental assistance program in Housing and Community Services Department operating in three to four regions. |
Emily Reiman | Support | 2021-02-23 |
| HB 2283 Allows land division to separate dwelling units for new middle housing allowed in cities. |
Karen Saxe | Support | 2021-01-26 |