Addressing Bend’s housing needs requires coordinated action, practical tools and continued partnership across the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Many organizations are working hard on distinct parts of the issue, from policy and infrastructure to financing, construction and community support. The Bend Chamber’s Workforce Housing Initiative complements that work by helping align partners, elevate practical tools and move more homes from concept to construction.
For the Bend Chamber, workforce housing is central to the region’s economic health. When employees cannot find affordable housing near where they work, the impacts are felt across the community. Businesses struggle to hire and retain employees. Workers face longer commutes and greater financial pressure. Essential services become harder to staff. The strength of Bend’s economy depends, in part, on whether the people who keep it running can build stable lives here.
This understanding is at the center of the Chamber’s Workforce Housing Initiative. Launched in 2021, the initiative focuses on three areas: Education, Advocacy and Investment. Together, these priorities reflect the Chamber’s role as a convener, partner and problem-solver on a complex regional issue.
Through EDUCATION, the Chamber works to build shared understanding of workforce housing needs, barriers and opportunities. Housing policy and development can be technical. Productive conversations require a common foundation. By bringing employers, builders, public agencies, nonprofit partners and community members into the discussion, the Chamber helps connect housing outcomes to workforce stability and business continuity. Collaboration with housing advocacy organizations such as Partners for Affordable Housing and Central Oregon YIMBY is essential to this work.
Through ADVOCACY, the Chamber supports policies and partnerships that make it easier to produce a wider range of housing types. Bend needs more options across the housing continuum, including accessory dwelling units, cottage clusters, duplexes, townhomes and homes affordable to local workers. Advocacy also means collaborating with partners to identify barriers such as infrastructure gaps, permitting challenges and financing constraints. From there, the Chamber helps advance solutions that are practical, durable and responsive to local conditions.
Through INVESTMENT, the Chamber is helping pressure-test and support tools that can have a direct impact on housing production. Two current projects illustrate this approach.
The Pre-approved ADU Design Library, in partnership with the City of Bend and Simplicity by Hayden Homes, is designed to reduce friction for homeowners, designers and builders interested in adding accessory dwelling units. The library offers access to ADU plans reviewed through the City of Bend’s Master Re-Issue Permit Program. This can help simplify early decision-making and create a more efficient path toward construction. ADUs are not a standalone answer to Bend’s housing needs, but they are an important infill strategy. They can create smaller-scale rental options, support multigenerational households and make better use of existing neighborhoods and infrastructure.
Launched in 2024, the Workforce Housing Revolving Loan Program addresses a different barrier: access to flexible capital. The program, via partnership with Mid Oregon Credit Union, provides short-term, low-interest loans to vetted partners and builders working to produce deed-restricted homes for locally employed households. By helping with land acquisition and development costs, the fund supports projects that serve middle-income workers. These are workers who often earn too much to qualify for traditional affordable housing, but not enough to purchase in Bend’s market.
These programs reflect the Chamber’s broader commitment to collaboration and partnership. Builders, public agencies, nonprofits, employers and community organizations each play a key role in addressing the region’s housing needs. The Chamber’s work is focused on helping align these efforts, strengthening connections between partners and supporting practical solutions where we can add value. Lasting progress will require sustained cooperation across sectors and a shared commitment to Bend’s long-term housing needs.
For Bend’s homebuilding and business communities, the opportunity is clear. Housing is part of the region’s economic infrastructure. Continued progress will depend on shared investment, practical innovation and a willingness to work across sectors toward solutions that serve both our workforce and the long-term health of our community.
