Financing Affordable Housing Subsidies in Sisters, Oregon: Creative Options and Evaluation of Potential Municipal Revenue-Generating Activities

This report contains the collected work of graduate student groups in PPPM 629: Public Budget Administration over the course of fall term 2022. These student groups conducted research to evaluate and forecast productivity of revenue generating activities for consideration by the city of Sisters to augment their Affordable Housing Reserve Fund. The revenue sources presented in this report were selected for their productivity, or other factors related to the tax or revenue generating activity that make them particularly attractive options. Revenue sources are presented and described, forecasts for expected revenue are presented, and analysis offered for City staff. Major highlights of this work include: Each revenue source has tradeoffs. Some that are particularly productive may have negative impacts on economic activity within the City. Sources that may be particularly well-aligned with the end goal of raising affordable housing funds may not be especially productive. Student recommendations include adopting the Construction Excise Tax because of its low administrative burden and generally strong productivity estimates. Several of the revenue recommendations raise questions that the City may not be able to answer alone. It may be that exploring these options fully involves engaging nearby jurisdictions. No single strategy will solve the issue of housing affordability. City staff and leaders may need to mix and match revenue-generating activities to create a comprehensive strategy for long-term revenue.