Oregon ON advances issues and policies that assist our members to more effectively:

• build sustainable communities
• develop affordable housing for working families, people with disabilities, seniors and others, and
• provide economic opportunities for Oregonians who are struggling to meet their basic needs

Oregon ON retains a professional lobbyist who works in Salem to advance our interests. We convene a State Policy Council and a Portland Policy Council for monthly meetings to discuss and deliberate relevant policy issues.  The Policy Councils are comprised of Voting Member representatives that are elected by our members. We are also a participating organization in the Housing Alliance.

Oregon ON Policies

Anti –Discrimination Policy

Oregon Opportunity Network does not discriminate against any employee, volunteer or customer on the basis of race, color, cultural heritage, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status or any other status protected under local, state, or federal law. This policy extends to all personnel decisions, terms and conditions of employment, vendor contracts and provision of services. Oregon Opportunity Network does not tolerate harassment for any reason. Respect for the dignity of others shall be the guiding principle for our relations with each other.

Policy on Immigration Policies

Adopted May 6, 2009

Oregon Opportunity Network (Oregon ON) is a statewide association of over 40 nonprofit affordable housing and community development organizations. Our mission is to support and strengthen our members through advocacy, communications, peer learning, and best practice development. Oregon ON’s members help build sustainable communities, develop affordable housing for working families, people with disabilities, seniors and others, and provide economic opportunities for Oregonians who are struggling to meet their basic needs.

As affordable housing providers, we believe that there is a need for a comprehensive, national immigration policy that is compassionate, realistic and economically sensible. Because we recognize that many of Oregon’s farmworker and Latino families include both individuals who are able to document that they are legally present in the U.S. and those who cannot, a comprehensive immigration policy must also address the fundamental need for family unification.

Oregon ON believes that the denial of housing is not a valid immigration policy and that it should not be the role of affordable housing providers to implement immigration policies. When required by statute, our members follow policies such as verifying social security numbers. However, we believe that programmatic regulations that require evidence of social security numbers are a private concern for our residents. Given this position, we also recognize that our members’ refusal to provide social security numbers where not statutorily required is not an immigration issue and indicates nothing about the immigration status of our residents.

Oregon ON’s opposes piecemeal immigration policies and any additional regulation of affordable housing programs related to immigration compliance, unless and until there is a comprehensive, national, immigration policy that addresses the needs of all members of our communities, including new immigrants.