Priorities for the 2026 Legislative Session
These are 1000 Friends’ housing priorities for the 2026 short session. To learn more about other land use-related legislative priorities, visit the 1000 Friends of Oregon main website.
Oregon Housing Accessibility Act of 2026
1000 Friends of Oregon supports the Oregon Housing Accessibility Act of 2026, which strengthens accessibility standards. This includes:
- Requiring 10% of new housing built with state funds to meet the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.
- Updating state building codes to require at least 10% of units in new construction that includes 15 or more units to be Type A accessible, meaning that they’re ready for a wheelchair user to move in without major modifications.
This law would have minimal impacts on housing development costs. According to Community Vision, incorporating accessibility into housing design increases construction costs by only 1–4% per-unit, and saves substantially on long-term costs by precluding expensive retrofits and allowing residents to stay in their homes as they age. It will address the accessible housing shortage for the 10% of Oregonians who have mobility challenges.
Outcomes of the 2025 legislative session
Ensuring that all communities provide a variety of accessible housing options that are affordable for folks at all income levels is a cornerstone of Oregon’s land use Goal 10 and 1000 Friends of Oregon’s work. In the 2025 session, 1000 Friends supported housing legislation in four broad areas to help achieve this:
- Production of infill housing and middle housing, such as duplexes and quadplexes.
- Infrastructure to support residential development in existing neighborhoods.
- Preservation of existing affordable housing.
- Promotion of innovative housing types and materials.
To promote bills in these areas, 1000 Friends partnered with four allied organizations: Thrive Hood River, Portland: Neighbors Welcome, Central Oregon Landwatch, and Eugene-based Better Housing Together.
Click here for a full overview of the bills that 1000 Friends supported in the 2025 Legislative session and the outcomes for each bill.
Learn more about the strategies cities can use to translate housing needs into more homes.
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