Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has appointed Margaret Salazar as the new head of the state agency that handles works to provide affordable housing. The announcement was made as lawmakers gear up to tackle housing issues during next year's legislative session.
Salazar comes to the Oregon Housing and Community Services Departmentfrom a federal agency with a similar mission. Salazar has been with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the past decade and is currently serving as the director of the Portland Field Office. She'll take charge of the Oregon agency on November 1.
Oregon lawmakers are expected to tackle affordable housing issues during the 2017 legislative session. House Speaker Tina Kotek has expressed support for two ideas favored by some housing advocates: ending the state ban on rent control and making it harder for landlords to evict tenants.
Both proposals will likely face strong opposition from housing developers.