Housing gives people an opportunity and a foundation from which to build better lives. To succeed in life, everyone needs a place to call home. Community Development Corporations (CDCs) are community-based, nonprofit groups that provide the formal infrastructure and skill to develop affordable housing, engage in economic development, and implement other improvement projects. Using a combination of loans, private investments, philanthropic support, and government funds, the 42 member organizations of Oregon ON have developed over 13,000 units of affordable housing. Over 1,500 of these units are single-family homes that have been purchased by participants in CDC-sponsored homeownership counseling programs. This development has resulted in an investment of over $700 million in Oregon communities over the past 15 years.

The housing owned and operated by CDCs serves over 20,000 Oregonians. Approximately 40% of our residents are children. The majority of people living in CDC housing receive services to help them move from poverty to self-sufficiency including case management, homework clubs and other educational programs, access to asset building programs such as Individuals Development Accounts and homeownership training, and job training.

CDCs are more than just housing:
• 24 provide some type of social services and/or health programs;
• 18 run programs to help young people succeed in school and life;
• 11 are involved with micro-business development programs;
• 11 are involved with workforce development;
• 8 are leading business district revitalization; and
• 3 run social enterprises, which create jobs and provide earned income.

Summary of Housing Developed by Oregon ON Voting Members.

Summary of Services and Programs Offered by Oregon ON Voting Members

Oregon Opportunity Network is recent merger of the statewide-focused Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations (AOCDO), founded in 1992 and the Portland-based Community Development Network (CDN), founded in 1995. Oregon ON is a membership-based organization that represents those with an interest in affordable housing and community development. This includes nearly 100 private nonprofit community development corporations (CDCs) and their partners. Oregon ON supports CDCs in their mission to improve the lives of Oregonians through the following activities:
• providing opportunities for training, technical assistance, and peer support;
• promoting and advocating for the industry at the local, state, and federal levels;
• removing regulatory barriers;
• monitoring industry trends; and
• developing new opportunities for partnership.