Lane County Forms Task Force to Shape New Housing Land Banking Program

Lane County, OR. — Lane County has announced the formation of a new seven-member task force charged with designing the framework for the county’s housing land banking program, an initiative aimed at increasing affordable housing supply.

The task force will be responsible for establishing program priorities and goals, defining measures of success, setting reporting standards, and outlining other operational requirements. Once completed, the framework will be presented to the Lane County Board of County Commissioners for adoption.

“We desperately need housing in Lane County,” said Lane County Housing Production Manager Eric Mongan. “While Lane County Government doesn’t directly develop real estate, we can and should have a role in identifying buildable land that can be purchased and incentivized for housing development.”

The land banking program was established in 2025 by the Board of County Commissioners as part of its ongoing efforts to support affordable housing development. The program is designed to identify properties with housing development potential, guide them through the land use process, and sell shovel-ready sites to affordable housing developers. By clearing land use hurdles in advance, the program aims to reduce development risk, shorten construction timelines, and make affordable housing projects more feasible.

The program is funded with $2 million in Oregon Video Lottery funding.

Letters of interest to serve on the task force must be submitted by February 9, 2026. Five members will be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners in early March, with the remaining two selected by the County Administrator. The task force is expected to begin meeting in March and will hold between six and eight one-hour meetings over several months.

Additional information and application materials are available at www.LaneCountyOR.gov/HousingTaskForce