A housing support initiative in Portland, Oregon, is offering $30,000 grants to first-time homebuyers who are not U.S. citizens, funded by taxpayers. This program, run by the Hacienda Community Development Corporation (HCDC), is part of the “Camino a Casa” initiative, explicitly designed for individuals who are not American citizens, such as ITIN holders, DACA recipients, refugees, asylees, and green card holders. The program has triggered backlash, with some labeling it as “state-sponsored discrimination.”
The grants are funded by Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, through the Economic Equity Investment Program (EEIP). This program was created following the passage of the Economic Equity Investment Act (SB 1579) in 2022, aimed at promoting economic stability and equity for disadvantaged groups in Oregon. The EEIP initially had $15 million and provided funding to 36 organizations in 2023, with an additional $8 million allocated in 2024 to extend support until June 2025.
Oregon state Representative Ed Diehl, a Republican, criticized the initiative, calling it discriminatory. He argued that, amid a severe housing shortage, the program unfairly prioritizes non-U.S. citizens over American residents. “Oregon can’t end this state-sponsored discrimination soon enough,” Diehl stated.
HCDC received a grant of $692,775 from the EEIP to support this initiative. The program provides financial coaching and housing counseling to assist eligible individuals throughout the homebuying process, including down-payment assistance and mortgage readiness workshops.
The debate over the program occurs amid heightened national tensions around immigration, especially as the 2024 presidential election approaches. Republican candidate Donald Trump has emphasized stricter immigration policies as a key component of his campaign.