ORS 456.550: Policy.

(1) There exists in this state a seriously inadequate supply of and a pressing need for safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations within the financial means of persons and families of lower income, including but not limited to persons and families displaced by the clearing of slums and blighted areas or by other public programs; (2) Private lending institutions have been and will continue to be unable to provide necessary financial support for lower income housing and the resulting shortage of financing has been in whole or in part responsible for the shortage of lower income housing; (3) It is a valid public purpose to provide for the construction, rehabilitation, purchase, leasing and refinancing of housing for such persons and families who would otherwise be unable to obtain adequate dwelling accommodations which they could afford and to aid in the acquisition of land for present or future developments including such housing accommodations; (4) It is further found that the authority and powers conferred by ORS 456.548 to 456.828 and ORS chapter 458 upon the Housing and Community Services Department and the Director of the Housing and Community Services Department constitute a necessary public program and serve a valid public purpose; (5) To stimulate and increase the supply of housing for persons and families of lower income it is necessary that a central source of housing information, planning, educational services and technical assistance and a revolving fund be established. The Housing and Community Services Department shall be that central source in this state; (6) It is the policy of this state to increase the amount of and improve the condition of low and moderate income housing by investing in developing local capacity to build, rehabilitate and manage housing. A primary vehicle for building such capacity is the formation and expansion of community development corporations; and (7) In that the farmworkers in this state benefit the social and economic welfare of all of the people in Oregon by their unceasing efforts to bring a bountiful crop to market, the Legislative Assembly declares that it is the policy of this state to ensure adequate accommodations commensurate with the housing needs of Oregon’s farm workers that meet decent health, safety and welfare standards. To accomplish this objective in the interest of all of the people in this state, it is necessary that: (a) Every state and local government agency that has powers, functions or duties with respect to housing, land use or enforcing health, safety or welfare standards, under this or any other law, shall exercise its powers, functions or duties consistently with state policy and in a manner that will facilitate sustained progress in attaining the objectives established; (b) Every state and local government agency with jurisdiction over farmworker activities must make every effort to alleviate insanitary, unsafe and overcrowded accommodations; (c) Special efforts should be directed toward mitigating hazards to families and children; and (d) Accommodations must be designed to provide for the rights of free association to seasonal farmworkers. [1971 c.505 §1; 1973 c.828 §1; 1973 c.832 §3; 1975 c.154 §7; 1989 c.1030 §5; 1995 c.79 §244; 2001 c.625 §4]