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Washington’s new governor, Bob Ferguson, wasted no time in pushing for faster development after his inauguration earlier this month.
Ferguson, the state’s former attorney general, follows Jay Inslee, who made a name as one of the nation’s strongest environmentalist governors in his three terms.
Both men are Democrats. But Ferguson signaled a different path with three executive orders he issued Jan. 15. One is aimed at protecting abortion rights, a common interest in Democratic states. But the other two—orders to speed housing production and the state’s permitting and licensing—mark a new direction.
Angela Wilhelms, CEO of Oregon Business & Industry, the state’s largest business group, promptly wrote to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, asking her to follow Ferguson’s lead.
“Gov. Ferguson has taken immediate action to address an issue that not only impacts businesses and individuals regulated by cumbersome, costly and time-consuming processes, but one that impedes the state’s ability to make good on its own policy goals and requirements in a timely manner,” Wilhelms wrote Jan. 17.
“As we have repeatedly shared, Oregon faces the same issue. While an executive order like this is not a panacea—especially not as it relates to local or federal processes layered on top of the state’s—it is a positive and proactive step forward."
Although Kotek has made increasing Oregon’s housing supply one of her top three priorities, Wilhelms encouraged her to take bolder action.
“The executive and legislative branches have taken some important steps forward, but more is needed—particularly regarding how the current permitting and regulatory framework in Oregon bogs down appropriate and smart development," Wilhelms wrote.
A spokeswoman for Kotek, Roxy Mayer, says the governor is already taking aggressive action on housing, and while Oregon has produced far fewer units than the governor’s goal of 36,000 a year, Mayer says that by the end of fiscal year 2025, the state will have financed 2,800 affordable housing units, created infrastructure for more than 25,000 affordable and market-rate units, and established a revolving loan fund for moderate-income housing.
Mayer adds that Kotek is also pushing state agencies on permitting and on government efficiency more generally.
“Within the governor’s first week in office, she sent a letter of expectations to state agencies about improving our business operations,“ Mayer says. ”Oregon now moves two weeks faster in hiring, staff vacancy rates have fallen by a third, and employees are more engaged."
Kotek created a dashboard so Oregonians can track her administration’s progress.
“Since taking office, the governor has focused her administration’s permitting reform work on increasing housing production,” Mayer adds.
Kotek has asked lawmakers for just over $1 billion for housing in the 2025 session, including funding to expand her Housing Production and Accountability Office.
This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project, a nonprofit investigative newsroom for the state of Oregon. OJP seeks to inform, engage, and empower Oregonians with investigative and watchdog reporting that makes a significant impact at the state and local levels. Its stories appear in partner newspapers across the state. Learn more at oregonjournalismproject.org.