Gov. Tina Kotek has one bill for this February session. It is about housing.

One housing bill from Kotek is not a dismissal of Oregon’s other challenges. It’s a signal about her priority.

Her bill would do more than one thing. It would add dollars to the money available to infrastructure, which has proven to be a key obstacle in Bend to getting more housing built. It would add money to the pot for middle-income housing. Oregon needs more of all types of housing. And there’s more.

The dollar amount, The Oregonian says, is a hefty $400 million.

A particular part of the bill we like is a one-time exception to allow a city to expand its urban growth boundary by up to 150 acres, as long as cities can demonstrate there is need and that there will be affordable housing. We would like to see the language in that section of the bill. A similar proposal died on the last day of the 2023 session.

Will legislators get behind Kotek’s bill? Will they find $400 million? Find out in February.