Oregon Mass Timber Coalition
Coalition Lead Applicant: Port of Portland
Region (applicant-defined): 21 counties in Oregon and one in Washington
Coalition Overarching Narrative (applicant submitted) (PDF)
Phase 2 Federal Award: Approximately $41.4 million
Project Description:
The Oregon Mass Timber Coalition, led by the Port of Portland, will receive approximately $41.4 million to become a national leader in using mass timber to accelerate affordable housing production, provide good jobs, and restore forest health. Oregon faces formidable threats from climate change and economic inequity, and a worsening housing shortage hampers efforts in small, rural towns to retain workers and employers. EDA funding supports a series of targeted investments along the full value chain, starting with working with forest-dependent rural communities to grow access to wood fiber. R&D projects by the University of Oregon and Oregon State University will lead the design and prototyping of new construction materials and products, and public testing facilities will certify that developed products meet fire and acoustic codes, paving the way for production and sale. Infrastructure improvements at the Port of Portland will create a site suitable for private investment in a Mass Timber Campus which will manufacture housing at scale, and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development will ensure planning and development codes are primed to accommodate modular mass timber homes in rural and wildlife-impacted communities. EDA funds will also support a workforce development project that partners with industry, workforce boards, and labor organizations to provide training in industries related to these new wood-based products.