Due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the Portland Housing Bureau has temporarily suspended person-to-person customer service. Please use phone, email, fax, or post mail for all customer service needs. Additional guidance
For the latest news and events from PHB, visit our homepage. Read on below to learn more about the Housing Bureau and to see additional contact information.
Visit our homepage at Portland.gov/PHB
Who We Are
The mission of the Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) is to solve the unmet housing needs of the people of Portland. PHB is responsible for leading housing policy for the City of Portland and administering programs to produce affordable rental housing, increase and stabilize homeowners, prevent and end homelessness, and regulate and assist landlords and tenants in the rental housing market. We are guided in our work by a vision that all Portlanders should have equitable access to affordable housing and to the opportunities that a safe, stable home can deliver.
Director Shannon Callahan
Meet the Housing Bureau Director and the PHB Management Team
View Contacts, Director's Calendar, and Leadership Bios
What We Do
To achieve the City’s housing goals, PHB implements programs and policies in four key areas:
- Production and Preservation: PHB finances the construction and preservation of affordable housing— through both direct financing as well as indirect subsidies, such as tax exemptions and fee waivers. PHB-funded housing is required to remain affordable at targeted incomes for up to 99 years. PHB currently regulates a portfolio of nearly 15,000 units of affordable housing throughout the city.
- Homeownership: PHB funds programs to increase homeownership for vulnerable and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, including down-payment assistance loans and homebuyer education.
- Preventing Displacement: PHB uses a variety of strategies to stabilize vulnerable renters and homeowners, especially in North/Northeast and East Portland. Strategies include supporting and implementing new tenant protections, funding legal services, and providing home repair grants and loans to help low and moderate-income homeowners retain their homes.
- Ending Homelessness: Through the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS), PHB invests in services and programs that assist individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These include short-term rent assistance, Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), transitional housing, and winter and emergency shelter. Together with our partners, PHB is working to achieve Portland City Council’s goal of creating 2,000 new supportive housing units by 2028.
Contact Us
For general questions, please contact:
PHBinfo@portlandoregon.gov
503-823-2375
PHB Programs
Refer to the program directory for contacts and links to more information. Please reach out to a program specialist if you have questions.
Media Inquiries
For all media inquiries, please contact the Public Information Manager:
Martha Calhoon
Martha.Calhoon@portlandoregon.gov | 503-823-1132
Public Records Requests
Submit requests online through the City of Portland Public Records portal. Follow these steps to make a request.
Additional resources:
PHB Performance Measures
How many housing and rental units have been added in the last quarter? How many people served? See how PHB is measuring up to its quarterly performance targets in the PHB Data Window.
PHB Advisory Groups and Commissions
Attend a meeting, submit public testimony, or view materials from past meetings.
Website tip: A shortcut to advisory groups is through the tab on the PHB homepage, above Featured Content. You can also view all advisory groups in the city.
Who We Work With
Jurisdictional Partners
- City of Beaverton
- City of Gresham
- City of Portland
- Clark County Public Health
- Metro
- Multnomah County
- Oregon Housing and Community Services (State of Oregon)
- US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)