ORS 197A.800: Establishment of Housing Accountability and Production Office; rules.

(1) The Department of Land Conservation and Development and the Department of Consumer and Business Services shall enter into an interagency agreement to establish and administer the Housing Accountability and Production Office.

      (2) The Housing Accountability and Production Office shall:

      (a) Provide technical assistance, including assistance through grants, to local governments to:

      (A) Comply with housing laws;

      (B) Reduce permitting and land use barriers to housing production; and

      (C) Support reliable and effective implementation of local procedures and standards relating to the approval of residential development projects.

      (b) Serve as a resource, which includes providing responses to requests for technical assistance with complying with housing laws, to:

      (A) Local governments, as defined in ORS 174.116; and

      (B) Applicants for land use and building permits for residential development who are experiencing permitting and land use barriers related to housing production.

      (c) Investigate and respond to complaints of violations of housing laws under ORS 197A.805.

      (d) Establish best practices related to model codes, typical drawings and specifications as described in ORS 455.062, procedures and practices by which local governments may comply with housing laws.

      (e) Provide optional mediation of active disputes relating to housing laws between a local government and applicants for land use and building permits for residential development, including mediation under ORS 197.860.

      (f) Coordinate agencies that are involved in the housing development process, including, but not limited to, the Department of Land Conservation and Development, Department of Consumer and Business Services, Housing and Community Services Department and Oregon Business Development Department, to enable the agencies to support local governments and applicants for land use and building permits for residential development by identifying state agency technical and financial resources that can address identified housing development and feasibility barriers.

      (g) Establish policy and funding priorities for state agency resources and programs for the purpose of addressing barriers to housing production, including, but not limited to, making recommendations for moneys needed for the purposes of ORS 307.237.

      (3) The Land Conservation and Development Commission and the Department of Consumer and Business Services shall coordinate in adopting, amending or repealing rules for:

      (a) Carrying out the respective responsibilities of the departments and the office under ORS 197A.800 to 197A.820.

      (b) Model codes, development plans, procedures and practices by which local governments may comply with housing laws.

      (c) Establishing standards by which complaints are investigated and pursued.

      (4) The office shall prioritize assisting local governments in voluntarily undertaking changes to come into compliance with housing laws.

      (5) As used in ORS 197A.800 to 197A.820:

      (a) “Housing law” means ORS chapter 197A and ORS 92.010 to 92.192, 92.830 to 92.845, 197.492, 197.493, 197.505 to 197.540, 197.660 to 197.667, 215.402 to 215.438, 227.160 to 227.186, 455.148, 455.150, 455.152, 455.153, 455.156, 455.157, 455.165, 455.170, 455.175, 455.180, 455.185 to 455.198, 455.200, 455.202 to 455.208, 455.210, 455.220, 455.465 and 455.467 and administrative rules implementing those laws, to the extent that the law or rule imposes a mandatory duty on a local government or its officers, employees or agents and the application of the law or rule applies to residential development or pertains to a permit for a residential use or a division of land for residential purposes.

      (b) “Residential” includes mixed-use residential development.