oregon property owners association
WHO WE ARE
As Oregon’s largest property owners association, our mission is to protect the right of private property owners to make use of their property. At the legislature and ballot box, in the courts, working with the media, and through our many educational efforts, OPOA works to reduce the regulatory barriers that hamper Oregon’s private property owners, and to change Oregon’s broken land-use system, a system unlike any other in the United States.
WHO WE FIGHT FOR
Private Property Owners
We believe over-regulating private property violates one of our most basic civil rights – the right to own and use property without undue influence from government. From rural landowners to suburban homeowners to large-scale developers, we help all property owners realize their dream and investments in their land.
Rural Communities
From the ranching towns of Eastern Oregon to our coastal communities, we believe that rural Oregon deserves to thrive. We fight for the rights of rural cities and towns to control how they plan and expand their communities.
Farmers & Ranchers
We believe that options mean opportunity and opportunity means prosperity. We fight for the ability of farm and ranch families to use their land how they see fit and grow their operations on their terms.
Home Builders & Buyers
Oregon continues to be one of the most challenging states to provide needed housing. We work to alleviate barriers in our planning system to increase our housing supply and create more opportunities for affordable home ownership.
Oregon's Trusted Private Property Advocates
DEFENDING YOUR Rights for over 35 years
YOUR RIGHTS
OUR WORK
The right to own, enjoy, sell and use property without undue influence from government is a foundational element of our country. While some regulation is needed, too much regulation is bad for the property owner, the economy, and society as a whole, no matter how well-intentioned.
Many times a property owner has a question that we can answer over the phone or email. Our laws are complex and not easily understood, even by experienced professionals, but often the key to answering the question is knowing where to look, and we know where to look. Most importantly, we offer this service without charge.
In some cases, the issue is so important and affects so many Oregon property owners that we choose to represent the property owner ourselves. That may mean we’re representing you in a local land use application, or it may be that we’re arguing on your behalf in the Oregon Supreme Court. We’ve done both (many times). We’ve represented hundreds of Oregon property owners over the years, from large corporations to little old widows (and everyone in between), and we continue to do so, free of charge.
Sometimes our laws and regulations just don’t work very well, and the only solution is to change them. When that happens, OPOA works with state agencies and the Oregon legislature to change the law. Our list of successful legislation is long and significant, and we’ve worked closely with the legislature to make dozens of meaningful improvements to Oregon law.
CURRENT ISSUES
Environmental Lawsuits Threaten Flood Insurance & Development Across Oregon
Landowners beware— if your property is in the floodplain, you may face serious roadblocks to develop it, including losing your flood insurance, thanks to ongoing litigation by environmental groups against the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Thanks to a recent lawsuit, by December 1, 2024, every local government
OPOA Supports Family Farms With Agritourism Campaign
As the leaves turn, farms around the state are gearing up for one of their busiest times of the year – pumpkin patch season. While corn mazes, cow trains, and harvest festivals may be treasured past times for most Oregonians, most folks don’t realize how important these activities are for
Reality Check: Oregon Needs A Wildfire Program, Just Not One Abused By Nimbys
It’s time to have an honest discussion about wildfire. Unless you’ve been out of the country for the last month, you couldn’t have missed the news that much of Oregon is currently on fire. At the time of this blog post, over 800,000 acres in eastern and southern Oregon is
THE TEAM
Dave Hunnicutt
President
For over 27 years, Dave has represented Oregon property owners in the Capitol and in courts throughout Oregon. As a registered Oregon lobbyist, Dave has successfully advocated for the passage of legislation to protect Oregon property owners in all areas of real property law. As an active member of the Oregon State Bar, Dave represents Oregon property owners in litigation in courts and agencies throughout Oregon.
Samantha Bayer
General Counsel
Sam is General Counsel of Oregon Property Owners Association. Prior to joining OPOA, Sam lobbied in Salem for both the Oregon Home Builders Association and the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation, gaining valuable insight on the issues impacting both rural and urban property owners. As an active member of the Oregon State Bar, Sam also represents Oregon property in litigation in courts and agencies throughout the state of Oregon.
OPOA EDUCATION
YouTube Channel
- Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to learn more about Oregon's land use system and private property rights.
OPOA THEATER
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 a complete lack of supply of housing caused by underbuilding, and (2) the weaponization of government by NIMBY’s to keep their home values artificially high.In Oregon, we call NIMBY weaponization “citizen participation”. In reality, it is a disease on property rights, homeownership, the American dream, and the future of our country.In fact, Oregon has taken NIMBYism to a whole new level. Heck, Goal 1 of LCDC’s 19 statewide planning goals created by Senate Bill 100 is all about citizen participation.Don’t get me wrong – the public should have a say in how their community is organized and planned. But public involvement needs to be made early in the process and on a broad scale, not at the end of the process.What Oregon does now is allow NIMBY’s to organize and protest at the very end of the process – when a property owner submits an application to develop their property. The state mandates that local governments allow everyone who wants to show up to come in, use every possible excuse that they can dream up to oppose the application, file endless appeals to delay the process and cost the property owner money, and foment neighborhood NIMBY opposition to the project.Over the years, I’ve heard it all:“This project will cause too much traffic to our quiet neighborhood.” Apparently, the traffic was just fine when you moved in.“It doesn’t fit with our community.”“My neighbor’s cousin’s friend saw an endangered toad on the property. You are destroying nature’s ecosystem, and all in the name of corporate greed.” “There’re wetlands on your property. I know I live in a brand-new house built next-door on the same land that you want to develop, but that’s different, because I say it is.” “Once upon a time an important historical figure camped there. You can’t destroy such an important cultural resource.”“We know no one has ever farmed this property, but some day a farmer might want to lose money by trying to farm it, so we need to preserve it as critical farmland. No farms/no food!”These kinds of arguments are frustrating, hypocritical, un-American, and most of the time used as a way to stop a project, not because of an actual concern. Rather than encouraging NIMBYism, Oregon lawmakers should end it. We can help. After all, every NIMBY moved to Oregon at some point. If it was OK then, it should be OK now. If you get a chance, check out Sam’s video. We need to make housing cheaper and more affordable to our young Oregonians. Despite the grumbling that every generation of older people engage in, today’s 20–40-year-olds are hardworking, honest, dependable Oregonians. They want the same thing that our generation has. We should help them, not get in their way.The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not represent the opinions or positions of any party represented by the OPOA Legal Center on any particular matter.
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Killing the American Dream – Oregon (NIMBY) Style -
Rep. David Brock Smith - How Oregon's Land Use Laws Prevent Needed Housing -
Why can’t I afford a house in Oregon? -
Rebuilding Your Home After the Wildfires -
Covid-19 -
Oregon Wetlands Overview -
Oregon Land Use 101 - How Oregon's Land Use Laws Work -
Rep. Mike McLane - How Oregon's Land Use Laws Hurt Rural Oregonians -
Barriers to Housing - Dave Hunnicutt -
2018 Land Use Forum - Shaun Jillions - The Dangers of Rent Control -
Rep. McLane - Oregon Land Use
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