Washington County hosts 2025 Annual Housing Forum

HILLSBORO, OR. – This Thursday, the Washington County Department of Housing Services, housing experts, service providers, and local elected officials will gather at the Wingspan Event and Conference Center for the 2025 Annual Housing Forum. This year’s forum examines how our region’s leaders can navigate a shifting housing landscape, characterized by uncertainties at the federal level and budget restraints at the state and local levels.

The keynote address will be given by Representative Pam Marsh of Oregon’s House District 5, Chair of the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness. The forum will consist of a panel of notable leaders in the housing and homelessness field at the federal, state, and local level:

• Andrea Bell, executive director of Oregon Housing and Community Services
• Ivory Mathews, chief executive officer of Home Forward and Senior Vice President of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
• Nathan Teske, executive director of Bienestar; and
• Maria Caballero Rubio, executive director of Centro Cultural de Washington County.

County Chair Kathryn Harrington will also present the inaugural Community CARES Award, honoring an individual who has made a positive influence in creating a County where each of us has an affordable home and the supports needed to thrive. The County received applications from advisory body members – Housing Advisory Committee and Homeless Solutions Advisory Council – and the leadership of those bodies selected the to-be-announced winner.

“The Annual Housing Forum is a vital tool for collaboration with housing leaders throughout Oregon to strategize,” shared Chair Kathryn Harrington. “As our region navigates federal challenges and budget constraints, I am eager to learn from the experts we are gathering.”

Every year, the department hosts a forum focused on our community’s housing needs and the ways we partner across sectors and systems to provide services and solutions. The event brings together community leaders in housing for a lively discussion and exchange of ideas. This year, the department will provide early copies of its Annual Report (Fiscal Year 2024-2025), covering all major aspects of the department’s work for the County.

“I am thrilled to share the inaugural Annual Report of the Department of Housing Services and the Housing Authority of Washington County at the forum, which tells our story of the incredible accomplishments over the past year,” added Director of Housing Services Molly Rogers. “This forum is a critical avenue for experts to work together and explore how we can be stronger as a regional housing system. This year is more important than ever as we pivot and iterate in response to a challenging landscape.”

ABOUT WASHINGTON COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING SERVICES: The department creates pathways out of homelessness, promotes housing stability, and invests in affordable communities for Washington County and our residents. The Department is a unique organization focused on the full continuum of housing stability—from street outreach and shelter access to long-term rent assistance and affordable housing. We support a comprehensive system of care that meets the needs of people experiencing homelessness and connects them with immediate shelter and housing services. We administer rental housing and rental assistance to more than 7,000 households across Washington County and serve over 20,000 people a year.