Sen. Anderson: Bipartisan solution to housing production

By Oregon Senate Republican Caucus 
March 11, 2025

This morning, Senator Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City) presented Senate Bill 1086 in the Senate Labor & Business Committee, a key measure to address the statewide workforce shortage of building inspectors.

According to the Oregon Building Officials Association, Oregon is facing an annual shortage of 115 residential inspectors and plans examiners, which is a significant barrier to housing production. Without action, this shortage will cause substantial delays in reviewing and approving housing projects across the state.

“Building inspectors are the backbone of safe construction, ensuring our homes, schools, and businesses can stand up to Oregon’s challenges from coastal storms to seismic risks. But we’re facing a shortage of these skilled professionals, and that’s a problem we can’t ignore. This bill tackles that shortage head-on by creating a structured, hands-on training pipeline,” said Senator Anderson, chief sponsor of the bill.

SB 1086 proposes the creation of a statewide apprenticeship program to meet current and future demands for certified code professionals. The program will focus on residential combination inspectors in electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and structural fields, residential plans examiners, certified permit technicians, and will include an Associate of Applied Science Degree from an accredited institution.

This initiative is crucial to ensure that Oregon has the skilled workforce necessary to meet housing demands and protect the integrity of the state’s infrastructure.